whatEver After
by Sar-kaz-m
Summary: DGCain. Happily Ever After isn't always happy. And it isn't always forever, either. Chapters 1 to 4 have been touched up since rewatching the series.
1. Chapter 1

1

"We must talk." The Queen's voice was grave, but still warm and maternal, like a heating blanket over DG's nerves, which, despite her flip comments, were pretty raw.

Father and Azkadelia nodded agreement, Az's eyes going to the floor and staying there. DG looked at all of them blankly.

"You mean, like NOW?" she asked.

"Yes, of course. Decisions must be made immediately," replied the Queen. Her regal manner restored, she turned and called out, "Ambrose."

After a moment with no response, a tiny crease appeared between her brows.

"Hey Glitch!" said DG. Glitch spun from where he'd been examining the crown moulding and grinned happily at her.

"Yes? Hello, have we met?"

DG glanced at the Queen, to see the distress on her face. "Ah, nevermind. I'm sure Az and me can find someplace for our little Family Meeting…" She grabbed her sister's arm, taking in the dazed expression on her face. "Um, Mom? Can we hold off a bit?" At the Queen's questioning look, DG cocked her head at Az.

Fortunately, Ahamo caught on pretty quickly. "We could all use a little time first, I think." He put his arm around his wife, pulling her attention away. "Some rest, some food maybe." He looked at DG, quirked an eyebrow. "Maybe a bath and appropriate clothing?"

DG smiled. "I think Dad is saying, I'm a little ripe. C'mon, Az, there's gotta be a nice shower in here somewhere, right?" She took her sister's hand. "Az?"

"Of course. I… a few rooms might be suitable if…"

Just then, the doors of the chamber burst open. Several LongCoats stormed the room, led by the one who'd been Azkadelia's personal assistant. In a flash, Cain punched one, and had his gun in the face of another, as Glitch acted on pure instinct again to bring down two more. Raw flung himself at DG, shoving her away from the action.

"Hold! Stop!" cried Azkadelia.

"Sorceress!" Her assistant immediately placed himself between her and the rest. "Your Highness, what–"

"Enough, Guermo. Listen to me." From somewhere, Az managed to pull the shreds of her composure together. She moved to face him, and in a commanding tone, she said, "All these annuals, you have served me loyally. But it has not truly been the Princess Azkadelia you have served." Turning her gaze to encompass the other LongCoats in the room, she continued, "When I was just a girl, I was possessed by an evil Witch, who used me, my magic, and my rank for her own ends. It was she who drove me to declare civil war, to oppress and rule the Outer Zone. But today, thanks to my family, and their loyal friends, the witch has been driven out. I am again myself, Princess Azkadelia of the First House of Gale. The Queen is restored to the throne of the O.Z. Order will be restored. If you cannot serve me now, if your loyalty was only to the Witch and her evil, then I will repudiate you, and you will have no place in the Restored Outer Zone."

Everyone waited. This moment would be key in the reconstruction of the lands. If Azkadelia's LongCoats were not personally loyal to her directly, but rather served the evil of the Witch, then there would be difficulties.

Fortunately, the one who'd been her assistant, Guermo, slowly knelt before her. "Highness… I have only ever served you."

Azkadelia smiled at him, a genuine smile, though a little sad. "Go, pass the word down. No more fighting."

He bowed, as did the other four LongCoats, and they retreated.

It was a long moment before everyone relaxed again. Cain particular didn't holster his gun right away. "There's going to be problems," he grumbled.

The Queen nodded. "Her troops are spread throughout the O.Z. That is one of the many issues we must discuss."

DG groaned. "Can't we just call someone? A news desk?"

"What difference would a new desk make?" asked Glitch.

"They don't have broadcast technology here," Ahamo pointed out. DG had to remind herself that her father was a Slipper, someone from the OtherSide who'd found his way to the O.Z. But her tired tone had reminded everyone that it had been a very long day, capping off for DG a very long week.

"Baths," Azkadelia said, her voice again one of deference. "Rest and food?"

"Oh please?" DG begged.

Azkadelia led the way, pointing out the tower's amenities, few though they were. Their parents claimed a lounge. Raw wanted to return to the lower levels, to free and speak with the other Viewers held there. Glitch volunteered to go with him, though he himself could use some cleaning up.

"These are my chambers," Azkadelia indicated DG to proceed her. Both women paused, and turned to look at their silent shadow.

"Please tell me you don't have to watch over me while I take a bath!" DG exclaimed.

"I wasn't going to!" Cain answered through gritted teeth. "But someone has to keep watch. I'll stay out here." DG and Cain glared at each other a moment more. DG wanted her privacy, but Cain was determined to protect her.

Finally, DG snapped, "Oh Fine! C'mon, Az." And she swung the door shut in Cain's face.

"Your Tin Man detail is…. dedicated." Az said delicately.

"Oh my god! First of all, he's not MY Tin Man, secondly, I have no idea why he appointed himself my 'detail', and third, that's not dedication, that's obsession. We've won! You think he could relax a little…"

Az smiled. "Tin Men don't relax. It isn't in the job description."

DG shrugged. "If you say so." She started to look around the room. She let out a low whistle. "Some digs, sis. Nice, if a little dark."

Az blushed. "Um, here. The bath is here, take your time. I should have some dresses that will fit you. There aren't many that weren't….." she trailed off, her expression distressed.

"Picked by the witch?" DG finished quietly. She crossed to stand in front of Az, taking both her hands. "Az, listen. It wasn't you. None of it was you."

"I was so confused. And the things she said, sometimes they made sense…" Tears ran from Azkadelia's eyes. DG reached up and gently wiped them away. "I can't remember parts. I can't remember when the first Viewer was used. Oh, Lylo, poor Lylo! He tried so hard, to protect the little one…" She gasped a little, trying not to sob.

DG pulled her sister into a hug. Az was still a little taller, but she bent her head to bury her face against DG's shoulder. For a few minutes, neither moved, until at last Az calmed enough. She stepped back, wiping her eyes. DG just smiled and waited.

"I was so foolish," Azkadelia whispered.

"No. I was," DG replied. "If I hadn't run…"

Az shook her head. "You were just a little girl! I was so sure we could withstand the witch. I was arrogant."

"And I was a disobedient little sister who got you into trouble."

"Oh no!"

DG grinned. "I think there's enough brow beating to go around. Let's get cleaned up." She eyed her sister's outfit. "That can't possibly be comfortable."

Az's hands flew to her waist. "It's not. There's a foundation underneath."

DG rolled her eyes. "PLEASE tell me you have something other than that, for me and you."

Az smiled a little. "In the back somewhere. Now go bathe."

DG obediently started across the room. "Hey, you're not saying I SMELL, are you?" To her relief, she heard a little giggle from her older sister in answer.

Outside, Cain kept his eyes moving, making sure the Princesses weren't disturbed.

* * *

After she took a bath in a tub sunken into the floor, practically big enough to swim in, DG sat at Az's vanity and tried to work all the snarls out of her hair while Az bathed. She was wrapped in a towel. Several dresses were on the bed, but DG wasn't sure which were for her, and which were Az's. Pausing, she looked at herself in the mirror. She remembered so much, and so little. Clearest, and most common in her recovered memories were Azkadelia, the clever, caring older sister. Less common, but still clear, were memories of their mother. She barely remembered their father at all, more a sense of him, the rumble of his voice, his scent of leather and paints. For her entire life, she'd believed herself just a normal girl, maybe more talented than the average run, longing for escape from her little Kansas town.

She smirked at herself in the mirror. Well, Elmer Gulch isn't arresting her for speeding NOW, that's for sure.

The door to the bath opened, and Az emerged, wrapped in a gold colored robe. Face washed of cosmetics and hair unbound, she looked much younger, must less severe than she had before.

"Feel better?" DG asked.

"I do. I didn't think that a simple bath would help me feel more… centered."

DG grinned. "We should try to find bubble bath! A nice long soak, with bubbles, and hot cocoa would be just the thing."

Az frowned. "I have never heard of bubble bath or this Ko Ko. I don't think.."

DG cocked her head. "Az? Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"How old do you feel?"

With a sigh, Az sat on a nearby chaise. "Oh Deeg. Young. I look in the mirror, and I see me, and I know it's me, but…. I don't remember growing up. It's like I went from thirteen to adult in no time at all." Her chin trembled a little. "And …. and I'm so scared! I'm afraid, if I start to act commanding and in control, that I won't be able to convince anyone. They'll see that I'm scared, or they'll think I'm still the Witch, and they'll ….. Mother will….."

"Hey!" DG moved over next to Az and put an arm around her. "Mother loves you! You saw her face, when we came back. She knew you were free immediately and was so happy. Father too. I think he even likes you a little better than me…"

Az gave her a watery smile at that. "There now, that's better." DG nudged her, grinning. "We have a lot of time to catch up. You just take it easy. Stay here a while, if it makes you feel better. Or, maybe we can all go to Finacqua."

Az sighed, and leaned into DG. "I'm so glad you're back," she whispered. "I missed you so." The sisters hugged. "Here, let's dress. We should get some food."

Dressed in light gowns that did not require undergarments that behaved like architecture, the sisters made ready to seek out their parents. DG left her old clothes neatly folded. At some point, she wanted them washed, because she definitely wanted to hang on to the jacket and jeans.

When they opened the door, Cain straightened up from his position leaning against the opposite wall of the corridor. DG smiled at him.

"Hey Cain!"

To her amazement, he nodded respectfully. "Princesses."

Azkadelia blushed, but DG just rolled her eyes. "Don't start that again," she scolded. But to her surprise, Cain didn't respond to her attitude.

Instead, he looked at her, a long even stare, like he'd never seen her before. She wore a long green dress, not clingy, but fitting well enough to look good, she'd thought. It had some floaty layers she expected would catch on just about anything as she moved. She'd simply twisted her hair back as usual, nothing different there. But there was something about Cain's expression that made her nervous.

"Cain?"

"Your parents are in the conference room, Your Highnesses. I believe Her Majesty arranged for food with Guermo." He nodded his head, indicating they should precede him.

Azkadelia smoothly moved off, and after sparing a puzzled look at Cain, DG hurried to follow her. "What was that about?" she muttered under her breath. Azkadelia glanced at her. "He never acts like that," DG explained, keeping her voice low.

"Really? I thought his behavior perfectly appropriate." Azkadelia had had more lessons on how a princess should behave and what to expect from others than DG had had in their youth. As the younger, DG had been allowed to run wild a bit, though Tutor had tried to instill manners along with the magic.

"Nope. That was really weird." DG glanced over her shoulder, but Cain was carefully checking open doors and branching corridors for threats.

When they reached the conference room, Cain stopped outside. "Oh, come on!" DG exclaimed, exasperated. "There's plenty of food, it looks like."

"DG," The Queen said, her gentle voice carrying just the slightest chastisement. "Mr. Guermo assures us the tower is secure, Mr. Cain. Perhaps you'd join us?"

"Ma'am." Cain's hand went up to tug lightly at his hat, respectful. "If you don't mind, I'd prefer to keep an eye on things, until we're certain."

"Very well," the Queen conceded. Her hand, resting on DG's shoulder, tightened briefly to forestall her protests.

At the table, DG stared at her plate. She couldn't understand what had changed. Only moments before they'd snuck into the tower to stop the machine and save Azkadelia, Cain had spoken honestly to her, had hugged her. She thought for certain she'd seen something in his look in that moment, when he begged her to be careful, something that was more than just a Tin Man's concern for his protectee.

"DG?" Ahamo asked.

"Hm? Oh, sorry." She started to eat.

For a while, the Royal family sat and ate together like a normal family. The Queen and Ahamo exchanged significant glances, obviously so happy to be together again. They also showed their affection for their daughters freely, often reaching to touch their hands, their shoulders, or stroke their hair. The Queen professed her joy at having her daughters back with tears in her eyes.

But, they were Royal, and as such, it wasn't long enough in DG's opinion before talk turned to the future.

"Take back the throne, Mother," Azkadelia urged. "You know you have to. I'll do whatever you think is best, but I can't possibly be Crown Princess now."

DG looked up, dragging her attention back from where it had wandered. "Well, I sure can't be Crown Princess!"

All three looked at her in surprise. "Of course you will be Crown Princess, if your sister denies her place in succession!" The Queen's voice was shocked. "Who else would follow me as Queen?"

"Yeah but, you'll be Queen for a long time, right? I mean, you're still really young." DG frowned suddenly. "Hey, how come nobody really seems as old as they are? I mean, if Glitch was your advisor, he's gotta be a LOT older than he looks…"

"Ambrose is my younger cousin," her mother said. "And you are correct, people of the Outer Zone do not age in the same manner as they do on the Other Side."

"Well, what about you then?" DG addressed her father. "You seem older than Mother. But… I still don't think you're old enough to be the father of two grown daughters."

"Well, thanks for the compliment, Deeg," her father chuckled. "In fact, it's got something to do with the O.Z. itself. It's the place, not necessarily the people."

"Huh. Environment, not genetics. Neat." That comment garnered confused looks from the rest. Her father had obviously Slipped through sometime in the 60s, and neither the Queen nor Azkadelia understood Other Side science. "Hey. Hang on, how come you're not the King?"

"DG!" The Queen exclaimed. "The Outer Zone has always been ruled by a Queen, you know this."

"No, I don't," DG said flatly. "This is why I can't be Crown Princess, I don't know the first thing about the O.Z., let alone GOVERNMENT. C'mon people! I grew up on the Other Side! I'm used to Democracy, not Monarchy." Her father smiled a little at that, but the Queen frowned.

"Perhaps," Azkadelia began carefully, "We might forgo making a decision about succession, until the Zone is more settled, and properly restored."

Sitting back with a little sigh, the Queen answered, "Yes, that is wise, Azkadelia." She gave her older child a fond smile. "Sensible indeed. Very well. We will have to start by letting the people know that Azkadelia has been freed of the witch's possession, and the throne is restored."

"Fortunately, even when the Witch was in control, rule of the O.Z. remained in the House of Gale," Ahamo pointed out. DG made a face. She didn't even remember what that meant, the House of Gale, other than the magic tomb, and the grey ghost of Dorothy Gale.

Talk continued, but DG couldn't keep her mind on it. She didn't have much to contribute anyway. Even possessed by the Witch, Azkadelia knew more about the current state of the Zone and how to go about repairing things than DG could even imagine. DG soon became mostly excluded from the conversation.

A tapping at the door interrupted them. When opened, it revealed Glitch and Guermo, with a rather unhappy Cain behind them. Clearly, he didn't want to admit Guermo to the Royal Presence.

"Ambrose." The Queen rose, holding out her hands to Glitch.

"Sorry?" He gave her a puzzled smile, confused. "Hi, DG!"

"Hi Glitch."

"Highness," Guermo began, bowing low and addressing himself to Azkadelia. "Our troops stationed here in the tower have all been informed and vetted about the changes that have occurred this day. There are a few…. well, I have had good men retain those few I think were brought in more for their..er… lack of moral center."

"Well done, Guermo." Azkadelia praised him. It interested DG to see how well the former LongCoat responded to a kind and gracious Azkadelia.

"Highness, Raynz was killed in today's…actions." Guermo glanced at Glitch before continuing. "The Ambro- I mean, the brai-…."

"They're not sure they can put my brain back," Glitch seriously informed DG in a stage whisper loud enough for everyone in the room.

"Oh, Glitch. I'm sure we can do something," DG assured him, patting his shoulder.

"They're not sure they can put my brain back," Glitch repeated, but DG gave him a gentle nudge.

"You already said that."

"I did?"

By the table, the Queen clutched her husband's arms, staring at the confused man who'd once been her most brilliant and loyal companion.

DG glanced at her parents, then stood. "Why don't we go down and see if Raw can hook you up again for a bit. I think… it might help a little if we can talk to all of you at once."

"Alright," Glitch agreed cheerfully.

"We'll be back in a bit." DG assured her parents. But to her surprise, it was Azkadelia who was crying silently from her seat at the table. She didn't even look up, just hung her head over her plate as they left. DG wanted to ask what was wrong, but it didn't seem the time.

She glanced over her shoulder at Cain as they walked. "Don't you want to, I don't know, take a break? Take a nap? Have something to eat? See your son?"

"Jeb is fine."

"How do you know?"

"That longcoat told me."

"He has a name, you know."

"I'm sure he does."

DG rolled her eyes. That, she sensed, was going to be the biggest problem of the Restoration – the prejudice people had built up in the last ten years or so.

Suddenly, she paused. "Where's that Zero?" she asked, suddenly frightened.

"Don't worry about Zero," Cain reassured her quickly. For a moment, she thought she saw a flash of his old concern for her, triggered by her fear. "He's been taken care of."

"Did you kill him?" she asked, a little afraid of the answer.

"No." The one word, spoken so grimly and yet with such satisfaction, told her what she wanted to know.

"You found a tin suit. You put him in it."

Cain just gazed at her wordlessly, his face perfectly calm.

They continued, finding Raw not far from the brain chamber. He looked much more sleek, and much less dusty. Obviously, the prisoners of the Tower had been released, and cared for, at Raw's insistence. The young Viewer, Kalm, trailed him everywhere.

"How is everyone, Raw?" DG asked.

"Good. Free. Cleaned up too."

DG laughed. "So am I! Feels good, doesn't it?"

Raw nodded happily. "We had food. We healed sick. Not only Viewers."

"Oh Raw, that's wonderful. Good for you. I wish everyone around here would take a little time for themselves, now that the day is won." She shot Cain a glance that anyone could read.

He just made an annoyed noise.

"Raw, would you help Glitch again? I think we might need the help the rest of his mind can give us."

Raw nodded eagerly, and moved to the tank holding Glitch's brain. He reached out, placing his hand gently against Glitch's cheek. Using himself as a conduit, Raw closed his eyes to concentrate.

Almost immediately Glitch gasped. A shudder ran through him from his head to his feet. He closed his eyes, panting. DG watched, wide eyed in amazement. After another moment, Glitch opened his eyes, and looked around.

"Oh, my goodness," he said, raising a hand to touch the glass tank. "This is most unusual."

"Glitch?" DG asked.

He looked over at her, confusion flickering across his face. "Princess…. Dorothigale? I thought… we thought… DG?"

DG smiled. "That's right, DG."

"I was told you were dead!"

"You have to try to get it together, Glitch," DG urged him. "Make your old memories and your new ones merge. Concentrate."

Glitch stared at her a moment, then glanced at Raw, at Cain. "Yes. Yes, it's coming back to me now."

"State your name," Cain ordered.

"Lord Ambrose of the Third House of Gale," Glitch answered confidently. Then a smirk curved his lips. "Lately known as Glitch. On account of my synapses don't always fire right."

DG giggled, relieved. The fond smile Glitch gave her took a load off her shoulders. She'd been worried that maybe Ambrose was a totally different person from Glitch, but now it looked like the integration could go well, if they could find a way to manage it.

"Glitch, we've got to find a way to get your brain back in your skull. Do you have any ideas?"

He shuddered. Raw winced, and in response, Glitch wrapped an arm around the Viewer, solidifying their contact. "The process was never meant to be reversible. I'm amazed at the level of technomancy that's kept my brain viable all these years. It would take a true feat of alchemy and technomancy, and a great deal of magic. Unfortunately, I'm no expert in either alchemy or magic."

Now Raw was shivering too, with the effort it took to maintain the contact. Glitch glanced at the Viewer, and back at DG. "Enough, this is enough for now. Break the connection."

DG slumped a little, disappointed, but Raw gasped as he dropped the connection, exhausted. Both Glitch and DG moved to help the Viewer sit.

"I am sorry. I couldn't hang on."

DG hugged him. "Oh Raw, you're the best. You're so good."

Glitch nodded. "Thank you. Thank you, Raw."

DG glanced up at Cain. He hadn't moved, but she could see his concern for Glitch and for Raw. So why didn't he let her see his feelings for her?

"C'mon, let's see if we can find you something to drink," DG said to Raw, helping him to his feet. She held on to Raw's arm, making sure to think of how proud of him she was, in case he was listening.

They left the chamber, Glitch and Cain behind them.

Glitch stuck his tongue out at Cain.

"What was that for?" the Tin Man asked.

"You're hurting her."

"I am not."

"Yes, you are," Glitch said in his most supercilious voice. "Even though she's a princess, she's still DG." He wandered off after the others, leaving the Tin Man standing alone.

TBC

_According to IMDB, the guy is just called "LongCoat". So I gave him a name._


	2. Chapter 2

(Warning to male readers: Squick Happens.)

2

DG had been in the O.Z. for three weeks when she felt the first twinges.

She'd felt a little run down when she got up that morning, but she'd blamed it on the workout her magic had gotten the day before. Since the Double Eclipse, the Royal Family had worked together in Azkadelia's tower. The Queen, who really was named Lavender Eyes of the House of Gale, converted the forces of the Resistance fighters into her personal guard and messengers. Azkadelia's former LongCoats had been incorporated as well. The Queen was careful in her assignments, sending groups of one or the other on missions, but still integrating them for special assignments. DG recognized her mother's cleverness – the ex-Resistance fighters and ex-LongCoats were learning to work together.

It helped that a cache of old Royal livery uniforms had been stored in the tower. Now the red and gold of the Queen traveled across the Outer Zone once more.

DG learned that the primary residence of the Royal family was a hi-rise palace in Central City. Finacqua had been a country estate, a royal vacation home. The Northern Palace had been used for special occasions, state events that were best handled outside the City. Azkadelia had urged that they all relocate to the Central City palace immediately, but the Queen and DG resisted, since Glitch's brain could not be moved. Neither Queen nor Princess wanted to leave the tower until alchemists could be found to attempt returning Glitch's brain to his skull.

And so, in compromise, DG and Azkadelia set out to redecorate the place. Magically. It was easy enough to turn cells into storerooms, dismantle huge machines to create large training areas. There already were stables, which were expanded, and barracks for all the troops were altered to be more comfortable. The third floor became an infirmary, by the Queen's order, right after the battle. Here Raw and more formal healers worked to help those injured in the battle, and those former prisoners in need of care.

The top two floors of the tower were converted into bedchambers and lounges, places where the Royal family and their closest friends could stay. DG herself had worked very hard to give each of her friends their own room. In addition, Jeb Cain and his fiancée had a room there as well. The Queen had given Jeb a Captaincy in her Guard. He wore the royal Red very well, DG thought, and it was hard to miss the pride in Cain's eyes.

What DG didn't know what that the Queen and Ahamo had spoken with Cain, offering him any post or rank in the O.Z. he could possibly want. And Cain had chosen to remain where he was, keeping an eye on DG. The Queen hadn't questioned his decision, but Ahamo, with that sixth sense owned by all fathers of daughters, had a few thoughts, yet kept them to himself.

DG however was slowing going insane. At least, in her opinion. When she wasn't lending her magical power to her sister's redecorating efforts – though DG had to admit, seeing a model made by Ahamo of a bed magically transformed into a king sized bed complete with mattress was pretty cool – she was dodging Tutor's efforts to reeducate her on the O.Z. and its traditions. She spent as much of the day as she could getting to know her family, and made a conscious effort to spend time with Glitch and Raw. But Cain she could never shake. Everywhere she went, he was her silent shadow.

She also couldn't get him to call her DG anymore. It was always "Princess" or "Your Highness" or just a respectful statement. At this point, she'd even take "kid" or "kiddo" again. Before, while he'd always protected her, he never treated her like she was delicate or anything. Now, he never quite got close, but never went away. DG remembered the obvious concern on his face, before they'd snuck into the tower that fateful day. How he'd been worried, giving her advise. '_I won't be there this one time_,' he'd said.

And she remembered the grin on his face when he and the others came into the chamber, and saw the royal family together and safe. A genuine – look, teeth! – grin. His hand had been so warm against the small of her back when they'd all hugged in joy.

But that all went away almost immediately, and now DG couldn't seem to find a time to speak with Cain privately about it, to find out why he'd changed so much.

Thinking about it now, instead of listening to her mother's latest plans, DG felt herself getting more and more grumpy. And then there were the twinges. And oh joy, a headache was coming on.

Recognizing her symptoms, DG stood up suddenly, halting the conversation.

"Um, sorry. You don't really need me, and I'm not feeling too hot. I'm gonna go…" she made a vague gesture with her hand, then hurried out of the room.

Cain followed her immediately. "Princess? Princess, are you all right?"

"Go away, Cain," DG snapped irritably. Reaching her room, she shut the door in his face.

Cain waited about five seconds, glancing up and down the hall, before he opened the door. DG was already on the bed, still fully clothed, curled into a ball under a blanket. Cain quickly crossed the room and knelt beside the bed.

"Princess? Kid, what's wrong? Are you sick? Is it the Witch?" For the first time in weeks, honest concern colored his voice.

DG pulled the blanket aside enough to glare at him from one baleful eye. "I said, go away." His timing really couldn't be any worse, she thought.

From the doorway, a soft voice called, "Mr. Cain." Turning, the Tin Man saw Princess Azkadelia there. She crossed the room, as smoothly and gracefully as a princess should, and leaned over to peer at her sister. Ocean blue eyes met chocolate brown, and Azkadelia's lips curved in a wry smile. "Mr. Cain, my sister will be fine. You may go."

"Not until someone tells me what's wrong with DG," Cain answered stubbornly.

"Oh for chrissakes!" DG exclaimed. She tossed off the blanket and glared at him. "You were a married man, Cain!" She could see him trying to understand that, and a second before he got it, she continued, "I swear, if you don't leave now, I'll tell you all about it in excruciating detail!"

Cain frowned, slapped his hat back on his head, and beat a hasty retreat.

Azkadelia laughed as the door shut behind the Tin Man, and DG burrowed back under the covers. "He was turning a most unusual shade of red," the elder sister observed, highly amused.

"Sometimes he acts like I'm twelve or something," DG moaned. "Oh man, I left my pills on the Other Side. Go get someone to shoot me, OK?"

Az stroked the huddled mound that was her sister. "You were taking pills? Are you really sick, or is this just normal for your courses?"

DG moaned again, cramping miserably. "The pills made it more bearable and predictable. One a day for the month, except for the week of it."

"But you still had your courses… naturally?"

DG moved the blanket and eyed her sister suspiciously. "Well, yeah. Why, don't you?"

Az smiled. "You are going to love this. Give me your hands." Az interlaced her fingers with her sisters with one hand, and set their other hands against DG's lower abdomen. A few whispered words later, a flash of magic, and DG started laughing.

"It's gone! The pain is gone! MAGIC ROCKS!" She sat up and hugged Az. "Is that it, am I done for the month?"

"Done. Once a month when you feel the onset, and that's it."

"That's so awesome!" DG crowed, delighted. "Oh, hey wait. The pills also…." She paused, eyeing her sister. "They prevent pregnancy."

"Why would you need that?" Az began. "Unless you…. Oh DG! You're aren't… married on the Other Side, are you?" Her voice became frantic.

"Whoa! No, no, I'm not married! I'm not even dating anyone, currently." DG sat down next to Az. "Let me guess. No hanky panky till you're married, right? Is the O.Z. one of those places where a princess's virginity is vital?"

"Not vital," Az answered, turning red. "But dalliances are not really approved of."

"Oh well, on the Other Side, dalliances are expected." DG bit her lip. "To be honest, it was just this one time, senior year. I was dating this guy Todd. He was gonna join the army right after school, which was stupid because he was a musician, not a jock, but he couldn't afford college. And really, I remember I didn't think much of it. Probably because I wasn't really in love with him, you know?"

Az looked a little confused. "Why would you do that when you weren't in love?"

DG shrugged. "It's different over there. It's not… it's not all romance and sunshine about it all the time. People do it because it feels good."

That just confused Az more. Then she frowned. "The witch… the witch could kill a man by drawing his soul out of him, and she could draw that power in." DG made a face. "It was tiring, but at the same time, invigorating. I, I mean the witch, she felt pleasure when she did that. And I think that maybe…" she trailed off, looking at her hands folded in her lap. "I'm afraid that maybe, that feeling is a little like what making love feels like, and I won't be able to….I'm afraid to feel like that again… or that I can't… but it doesn't matter, because I probably won't ever marry anyway."

DG wrapped an arm around her sister's shoulders. Over the last few weeks, Az had made several halting confessions like this. DG's limited knowledge of things like abuse and post traumatic stress disorder made her think that Az needed to talk about things, and DG was perfectly willing to listen and try to help. DG sighed a little. She vaguely wished she'd watched more of those crime dramas. It might have helped her help Az now.

"Listen. Like I said, I didn't think it was that big of a deal myself. Maybe it is different when you really love the other person. And I think you just need to give yourself time. Once you start feeling better, you'll be more comfortable. And then, who knows? Maybe some prince from one of the fringe zones will come in here and sweep you off your feet!"

Az gave her a weak smile. "You help me so much, Deeg."

"Yeah, well you help me. God I love that spell! Woo hoo! No more monthly worries for me!" The sisters laughed together.

"We should go back. It'll be dinner time soon," Az pointed out.

DG agreed. When they opened the door, Cain was again posted outside, leaning against the wall. He had his arms crossed and his hat pulled low.

DG's grin was just the edge of evil. "Hiya, Cain. I'm all better now!" she sang. If she ducked her head a bit, she could just peek under the edge of his hat to see that his ears were still red.

"DG, don't," whispered Az, pulling on her sister's arm. She shot the stoic Tin Man a sympathetic look. "Let's just go."

DG let Az pull her along, but had to admit to herself, teasing Cain certainly made her feel much better.

* * *

Wyatt Cain took his self-imposed job very seriously. Having been on protection detail before, he knew how to handle the long hours of doing nothing. In the mornings, when DG was in 'classes' with Az and Tutor, Cain caught a couple hours of sleep. In the evenings, when she was with her family, he caught a few more. He never needed more than a couple hours a day anyway. It was a huge asset to being a Tin Man.

This evening, while the Royal Family gathered in the lounge upstairs, a few loyal ex-Resistance men on duty, Cain hung up his coat and hat, took off his holster, and threw himself into his bed. DG's little routine this afternoon had driven him crazy. First, he'd been worried that she was hurt, or really sick, the way she'd walked out of the meeting like that. And then, to find out it was… female issues. He'd been a little embarrassed that he'd been so worried over something so simple.

But he sometimes had a hard time remembering that DG was a woman grown. From listening to some of her conversations, he gathered she was practically an independent adult according to the culture on the Other Side. Her nurture units had admitted it had been harder and harder to keep her close to home in the last few years.

No, it wasn't that he didn't remember she was a grown woman, it was that he didn't want to admit it to himself. He kept remembering their adventures, the way she'd chipped away at him, until he shook off the hatred and hardness of the tin suit, getting his humanity back. He remembered the way she felt in his arms, when he knew they were walking into danger, and he feared they wouldn't make it.

He tried to hold on to his memories of his wife. Unfortunately, he was pretty sure Adora would have liked DG a lot. They had a lot in common. And Jeb was no help at all. Cain's son had grown up, found his own woman, and not so subtly encouraged his father to get on with his life too. Even the nightmares were fading, and Wyatt found himself dreaming of better times with a nostalgic fondness. He was letting go, but he didn't feel ready for it. Nor did he feel ready to move forward.

So he pushed DG away with his cold formality. She'd figure it out pretty soon anyway. She was a princess. Princesses don't take up with Tin Men, he told himself. Besides, his position on the outskirts gave him an excellent view. He knew the Queen had some ideas about DG. And he knew what those ideas were, and a number of them involved getting Glitch his brain back. He'd seen the Queen send some speculative looks towards her younger daughter and her noble headcase friend.

Cain didn't approve of that at all. He had a pretty good idea DG wouldn't like it either, as much as she loved her zipperhead friend.

He rolled over and punched his pillow a few times, trying to shut down his own brain and get some sleep.

_He knew he was dreaming immediately, because this was so long ago. He was walking up the path to the house, and the paint on the walls was still fresh. Glancing to his right, he could see the pond, and the oak sapling wasn't even there yet, so he knew this was before Jeb was born, because they'd planted that sapling for him. _

_He stepped up to the door and pushed it open. He could smell something cooking, and in the dimmer light of the interior, he could see his wife moving in the kitchen. He hung his hat on a peg and walked to her._

_She turned, laughing, her long dark hair tumbling over her shoulders in that wild way he loved. He pulled her into an embrace, smiling into her laughing deep blue eyes…_

_But Adora had had light brown hair, not a wavy curtain of midnight. And her eyes were hazel, with gold sparks, not blue like deep mountain pools._

_But he looked at the woman he loved, held her in his arms, and he kissed her…_

Cain sat up with a gasp.

He rubbed his hand over his face, trying to dispel the images from his dream. He glanced over at a timepiece. Barely more than an hour had passed. Groaning, he rubbed his neck, too unsettled to try and sleep more.

He went to the bathing room and splashed cold water on his face. Eyeing himself in the mirror, he muttered, "Princesses don't take up with Tin Men. Or ex-Tin Men. And certainly not ones nearly twice their age. Don't make a fool of yourself, Cain." He repeated his mental litany a few times, trying to shut down his body's responses to that dream. Bad enough he knew exactly what it felt like to hold her close, bad enough he knew the scent of her hair, the softness of the skin on the inside of her wrist. He didn't need to start subconsciously speculating on other things too.

Rubbing his face hard with a towel, he cynically told himself maybe he just needed to find a Central City whore for an hour or so. Even as he thought it, he knew it was a lie.

* * *

DG's real parents told good stories. Stories of how they met, deliberately funny embarrassing stories about their daughters. It was an element of their personalities DG found comforting, because that's how her other parents, the pair of nurture units, had behaved. Still, when DG thought of "mom and pop", she thought of the Kansas farmer and wife who raised her. Lavender and Ahamo were "mother and father".

But that evening, as the family party broke up, her parents off to spend some time alone together, Azkadelia pleading fatigue, DG went in search of her robo-'rents.

One of the earliest chores performed in the tower was restoring their CPUs to their unaltered state. But then DG had immediately begged them to treat Az like a daughter too. Only too happy to accommodate her, Hank and Emily became almost like nannies to the princesses, and by extension the population of the Tower. DG knew the best place to find them was the hastily improved kitchens on the third level.

Blessedly free of her Tin Man shadow because of the early break up of the gathering this evening, DG slipped down the levels to the kitchen, and as expected, Emily was baking something, humming contentedly. Hank was sitting at a table nearby, fiddling with some gadget.

"Hey Momster, hey Popsicle," DG said, happily hugging each of them.

"Well, look at you. You look a little worn out there, DG. You aren't coming down with something, are you?" Hank asked.

"Nope. I'm ok." DG said, but gave Emily a significant look.

"Hank, why don't you go see if the boys down on watch need anything. If they're hungering, I can make up some sandwiches," Emily suggested.

They were robots, but they weren't stupid. Hank knew that tone well enough. It was Mother-Daughter time. "I suppose I could stretch my legs at that. See you in a bit, honey," he said as he pressed a kiss to the top of DG's head.

Alone at last, Emily handed a cup of tea to DG and sat across from her. "That time of the month?"

"Yeah, but Az taught me a spell that takes care of it. It's so cool."

"Mmm," Emily nodded. "So, why the long face?"

"I don't know what you mean," DG protested.

"I know that look. That's the look you wore when we sold the kittens. The look you wore when Matt Brooks wouldn't dance with you in seventh grade. The look you wore when that Todd Miggs up and joined the army."

DG blushed. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Oh yes you do. You're pining over some male." Emily gave her 'daughter' a stern look. "It's that weepy, half-heartbroken look. So, who is it?"

"Nobody!" DG exclaimed.

"Mm-hm?" Emily prompted in a motherly knows-all tone.

"I'm worried about Az," DG lied hastily. "The witch really really messed her up. I mean, are there psychiatrists in the O.Z.? I only took one class in it, but even I can tell she's got PTSD, and maybe abuse issues, and all sorts of things going on. I listen all I can, and try to support her, but I don't know if I'm doing the right things to heal her."

"Well, honey," Emily said slowly, deciding to let her off the hook, "I supposed that's about the most you can do. She's been alone for so long, poor thing, she needs all the love and support we can give her. But I'm not sure we could find a psychiatrist here in the Zone who could be unbiased, or who we could trust enough." She tapped her fingers for a moment, then suggested, "Have you thought about having that Viewer friend of yours talk to her? I hear tell he's a healer as well as a heart-listener. Might do her a world of good, if he can help."

DG gasped. "Momster, you're a genius! I'll ask Raw first thing tomorrow. I know he'll help, he's the bravest Viewer you'd ever meet."

Suddenly sensing company, both women looked up to find Cain standing in the door to the kitchen.

"Ladies," he said politely, touching his hat.

"Checking up on me, Cain?" DG asked lightly. But something in her face betrayed her to Emily, who knew her better than anyone else in the Zone.

"Nonsense, DG," Emily said briskly. "Mr. Cain's just picking up his evening coffee." She gave the Tin Man her most charming Farmer's Wife smile as she stood and headed for the kitchen counter. "Have a seat, Mr. Cain. I might even be able to scare up a few fresh baked biscuits too."

"Thank you," Cain replied, his tone grateful. With his usual economy of movement, he sat at the table, precisely one chair between him and DG, setting his hat on the table.

"Well, thanks for the chat and tea, Momster. I think I'm going to head up," DG announced airily. She took her cup over to the sink and gave Emily a kiss on the cheek.

"You're welcome, dear. Sleep well."

DG gave Cain a pointed look. But he didn't rise, instead calming wishing her, "Sleep well, Princess."

Suppressing the urge to kick him as she went by, DG left.

Cain watched her go, before turning back to the motherly Nurture Unit. She'd watched him watch DG with raised brow.

"You know, Mr. Cain, I understand the urge to keep her on a leash. Her dad and I always found, it works best if it's a very LONG leash." Emily handed him a cup of coffee, and a few warm biscuits wrapped in a cloth napkin. "Go on with you now."

Cain stood, replacing his hat and collecting his coffee and snack. "Evening, ma'am," he murmured politely, and silently followed his charge out of the kitchen.

TBC

_A/N: Wow! We are quite the lively new fandom, aren't we? I see a lot of people watching this fic, but not so many leaving reviews. C'mon, I know you have an opinion. Tell me you liked it, tell me you disagree with something, tell me just Hello! Just leave a review._


	3. Chapter 3

3

The next morning, DG managed to talk her way out of her daily lessons, and go in search of Raw. Cain never once expressed any opinion about her actions or destinations, just followed along quietly. DG supposed that under normal circumstances, that's how a bodyguard was supposed to behave, and she ought to just ignore his presence. Of course, she couldn't ignore Cain if they were in a giant room with hundreds of other people, and he was on the far side of the room, and she never even saw him come in. She'd know where he was, she was sure she'd feel it.

They found out that Raw and the other Viewers were outside, enjoying the sunlight. Assuming the witch's magics hadn't harmed the Zone itself, the rainy season would soon start, and DG was warned that during the rainy season, there wasn't much activity outside that wasn't absolutely necessary. So sensibly, the Viewers were enjoying the suns while they could.

DG strode purposefully for the great doors and the ramp out of the Tower. She herself could use a little outside-time. Just as she reached the portal, Cain stuck out his hand, stopping. "Wait," he ordered simply.

DG froze, expecting him to grab her arm like he used to, her pulse spiking. But instead of touching her, Cain's hand hovered just a few inches from her, never so much as brushing her sleeve, making the skin of her arm tingle with misplaced anticipation.

Cain scanned the exterior, noting the guards at the doors, at the base of the ramp, and spotting a patrol skirting the edges of the valley.

"Alright," he said, dropping his arm, relaxing his grip on his pistol, and allowing her to precede him out of the tower.

DG glared at him as she walked by, frustrated by the moment, annoyed at her own eagerness for his touch.

"DG, Cain!" Raw greeted them happily. The few people who died in the battle of the Double Eclipse were buried by the tower, and the Viewers had taken it upon themselves to turn the area into a memorial garden. Raw and young Kalm were planting seedlings along a planned perimeter. Two other Viewers who'd been held prisoner, a nearly adult male called Fang, and a tall female, Tree, were seeding grass.

Cain smiled freely at the beastman. "How's it going, Raw?" he asked.

"Good, good," the Viewer replied. "We are all good. Much better. Happy to do work."

"It's going to be lovely, Raw. I can tell." DG gave him a quick hug, needing contact with a friend. "Raw, I'm hoping you can do me a big favor."

"What? Do you need help?"

"Actually, it's my sister I'm hoping you can help." The Viewer gave her a puzzled look, so DG sat down next to him, ignoring the mess the dirt made of her dress. She hated today's dress anyway – yellow was so not her color. "On the Other Side, there are people, smart people, who help those who's minds and hearts are hurt. I know Az looks healthy, but inside she's hurting a lot. I was wondering, are you able to help heal her mind?"

Raw frowned, thinking it over. "My people," he started slowly, "are each different." He waved a paw at the others. "Fang is a people healer. Tree can heal growing things. Kalm has strong sight." He sighed regretfully. "Lylo had strongest sight." The dead Viewer was buried in this garden. The others had performed a moaning wordless song of grief that even had former LongCoats unobtrusively wiping their eyes. Continuing, Raw said, "I am not strong healer, don't have strongest sight."

"But, maybe you can do it, because you can do both at once, Raw. Remember, when you healed Cain's leg? You healed him perfectly AND you saw into his heart." DG glanced up at the Tin Man, who looked a little uncomfortable at the memory. "I think maybe, for you, heart and mind are the same, and so if you can Heal and See, maybe you can See to Heal."

"I'm not sure." He rose abruptly, and went to speak with the other Viewers. Their native language fascinated DG. It sounded like grumblings and growls, deep in their chests, but in a way, it was comforting. Like what a tiger purring might sound like.

After a few minutes, Raw returned. "Possible," he announced.

"Really?" DG cried.

Raw nodded. "Can try."

"Great!" DG shouted, jumping to her feet and enthusiastically hugging the beastman.

When they parted, Raw cocked his head and looked at her closely. "DG," he whispered, "You are not happy?" His tone was confused.

Cain's head whipped around from where he was scanning the area to peer closely at the two. He listened intently.

"Oh, I'm ok," DG assured Raw. "I'm just worried about Azkadelia. But if you can help her, then I'll be really happy."

DG knew that Raw saw through that excuse like glass, because he was still holding her hand. But he tactfully let it go. "Come. See princess now," he suggested.

"Yes, lets." DG agreed, and led the way back into the tower.

Azkadelia was going over reports from her men when DG, Raw, and Cain found her. Tutor was nowhere to be seen, which was a relief to DG.

"Hey Az," she said casually, flopping into a chair. "You remember my friend Raw, right?"

Azkadelia smiled shyly. "Hello, Raw."

"Hello," the Viewer answered warmly.

Cain glanced around, and lowly announced, "I'll just wait outside."

Azkadelia watched him leave with a confused expression. "DG? What's going on?"

"Az," DG began, taking her sister's hands. "I know you're hurting a lot. The witch did things to you, terrible things, I don't even think you begin to realize. On the Other Side, we have doctors who are specially trained to help victims get better from things like that. But there are no doctors like that here in the O.Z." She squeezed her sister's hands, willing her to agree to this. "My friend Raw is special. He can See and Heal at the same time. I think he might be able to help you heal some of the hurts you have inside. If you'll let him try?"

Azkadelia paled, but turned to face the Viewer. For a long moment, they simply looked at each other. Then Azkadelia said, "I remember you. You were captured not far from the Pappay fields, just west of Central City."

Raw just nodded.

Her expression chill, Azkadelia continued. "You were initialized in the labs in Central City, but then escaped while in transport here."

Raw smiled a little.

Her breath hitched, then Azkadelia asked, her voice plaintive, "And you're still willing to try to help me?"

Raw held out his hands. "I always help."

Fighting her tears, and her fear, Azkadelia nodded. "Alright. What do we do?"

"Just take his hands," DG said softly. "I'll be right here the whole time."

Rising, Azkadelia stood tall, facing Raw. After a moment of hesitation, she covered his palms with hers, letting him curl his fingers gently around her hand. After a moment, he shifted his grip to entwine her fingers with his.

"Breathe," he advised softly. Azkadelia let out a shuddering sigh.

No one made another sound. DG practically held her own breath, she was so tense, praying silently for this to work, for it to help Az, even a little. Time seemed to stop as the gentle Viewer worked his natural magic on the princess.

After some time, tears began to stream down Az's face. Her breathing turned ragged as she cried quietly, while Raw began to emit a low rumbling sound from deep in his chest. Slowly Az sunk to her knees, but Raw went with her, and soon gathered her into his arms, never once loosing physical contact. Az cried, her tears wetting the pelt against Raw's chest, as one of his hands gently cupped her cheek. He never stopped the rumbling purr, and the sound was warm and comforting.

A soft noise behind DG made her turn, to see the door swing open. Cain was there, holding the door, and the Queen and their father looking in.

"What..?" began the Queen, but DG shushed her, indicating they should come in quietly. The Royal couple moved to stand with their younger sister, watching the older cry in Raw's arms. They were curled together on the floor, the Viewer supporting the princess. DG took her mother's hand, felt her father's palm warm on her shoulder, as they waited for Raw to work his magic.

Eventually, Az's soft crying stilled. Both healer and patient had their eyes closed, and soon, identical small smiles graced their faces. Moments later, they both began laughing softly, and Az sat back, still holding Raw's hand, but her eyes open, shining with relief. Raw's face was warm with compassion, and pride.

"Az is brave," he said softly, complimenting her. "So brave."

"You too," Az said, laughing softly. "Thank you! Oh, thank you so much!" Implusively, she leaned forward and planted a chaste kiss on Raw's cheek.

Raw blushed as much as a beastman could, then glanced up at their audience. "Az little better now," he announced.

"Az much better now," Azkadelia amended, wiping the lingering tears from her face. She stood, Raw with her, and she hugged him again. "That was amazing. Thank you so much."

DG couldn't wait any longer, and bounded forward to give out hugs of her own. "Thank you Raw! You're the best! Oh, Az, you look better already!"

The elder princess did look much better. The hollow look that had haunted her eyes was gone, and color was returning to her cheeks.

"What happened here?" asked the Queen.

"Oh Mother!" Az cried, going to her and hugging her fiercely. She did the same to their father. "It was amazing! Raw was able to See and help Heal me at the same time! I – there were so many hurts inside of me, from the witch, even from myself, some I didn't even realize were there."

"Here, let's sit," DG said, leading Raw to join them all at the table. She squeezed his hand, full of pride and gratitude for him, and Raw turned a beaming smile on her, feeling her feelings for him.

Azkadelia spoke freely. "It was as if I were walking through all of my memories, everything that ever happened to me. And Raw was right there, walking with me, holding my hand. And every time a bad memory was about to overwhelm me, Raw would tell me how it wasn't my fault, or it was alright." She looked at DG, and reached across the table for her sister's hand. "Oh, Deeg. I didn't even realize it, but I felt such resentment toward you, way down deep inside, for letting go in that cave, and at the same time I felt so stupid for facing off against the witch, when we both should have ran, together!"

DG's jaw dropped, but Azkadelia clutched her hand and continued quickly. "I should never have resented you Deeg, you were only five! How could I have expected that of you? And Raw helped me see that I shouldn't blame you, and I should stop castigating myself for being so foolish as to stand there and try to defy the witch ourselves. We should have both run, DG, we should have both run."

"It's OK, Az! It's long past now," DG reassured her sister.

Az nodded and went on. "And, things I did when the witch had control over me, Raw helped me see that it wasn't I that did all those terrible things. He also helped me see that the things the witch did to twist my heart and my feelings, she did to have power over me, to make me complicit when normally, I'd never ever do such things. And he helped me see…. see how some other feelings were wrong, just as I thought they were, but others could be right, and I don't have to be afraid of them." She gave DG a significant glance, and inside DG felt a major knot of worry for her sister ease. She'd been really worried over what the witch had done to Az that could really only be described in the Other Side as sexual abuse.

Azkadelia smiled fondly at Raw. "You've helped me so much."

Raw shook his head. "Not all healed yet."

"No, I know that. But you've given me the tools and the strength to do it, now."

"Thank you so much," said the Queen to Raw. "You've done so much for us. We're truly grateful."

"We are," echoed Ahamo. "You have my friendship forever for all you've done for my daughters." He enthusiastically shook the Viewer's hand.

Raw ducked his head, bashful from all the praise. "I will go now, let you talk. Finish garden work." He rose, pausing to touch DG lightly before leaving the room.

Cain watched as the Royal family pulled together in Raw's wake. The Viewer passed him, smiling complacently.

"Wait," Cain said, following Raw into the hall. Behind them, the happy voices of the Royal family floated in the air. In a low urgent voice, Cain asked Raw, "Earlier, outside, you said DG's not happy. What's wrong with her?"

Raw looked at him steadily. "DG's not happy. DG is sad, hurting."

"Well, can you help her the way you helped Princess Azkadelia?"

Raw shook his head. "DG is hurting. Not know why."

"You don't know, or DG doesn't know?"

"DG does not know why she hurts."

"Well, help her."

"Can't."

"What do you mean, can't?" Cain's voice was sharp, almost accusatory.

"I have guesses, but…. not my place."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Cain said, frustrated.

Raw cocked his head, gazing steadily at the lawman. "Cain is hurting too. And Cain knows why."

Cain scowled at the beastman. "Yeah, well, like you said, it's not my place."

Raw just gave Cain an innocently questioning look, before turning and without further comment, walking away.

Cain stared after him, wondering if the Viewer knew, if he guessed. And if he did, did Raw mean that what was hurting Cain was hurting DG? Was it Cain that was hurting her? Maybe he should give up this detail, let someone else guard her. Maybe she'd feel better if he was far away. He could do it. Go and ask for a different assignment, maybe in the realm of the unwanted. Lock away his heart again, so no one, not him, not DG, could be hurt. Maybe that was for the best.

Raw found Glitch sitting on the ramp, watching the activity outside in the late afternoon sun. Raw simply sat next to him, not touching. They both watched the patrols pass by, the other Viewers still gardening. Over the ridge, a van appeared, and the patrol smoothly changed course to intercept it.

Glitch glanced at Raw. "You look happy."

Raw nodded, his smile of satisfaction firmly in place. "I helped heal. Did good."

"Glad to hear it. DG?"

"Sister."

"Azkadelia." Glitch frowned then, started to speak, hesitated, but shook his head. "Nope. Whatever that was, it's gone." He gave Raw an impish smile.

"Would you want to talk to self?" Raw offered, motioning to the tower, indirectly indicating Glitch's brain.

"No, I'm fine," Glitch demurred.

They lapsed into silence again. Glitch seemed to be struggling, trying to hold on to a thought, a process, a series of connected concepts.

"DG's alright?" he asked finally.

Raw shrugged.

"And Cain?"

Raw sighed sadly.

Glitch shook his head. "This won't end well. Or at least, not soon."

Raw nodded in agreement, but Glitch's synapses had already misfired. "Look, birds!" he cried, pointing.

TBC

_Two chapters in one day! You lucky people, ha ha ha. Actually I'm kidding: I'm well ahead on the writing of this, in fact, I'm one and a half chapters from being done. I thought about stringing the posting of this along, maybe a chapter every other day, but I think I'll do one a day until it's complete. That way, I can go back to reading everyone else's awesome Tin Man fics!_


	4. Chapter 4

4

DG left the door to her room open. She was looking at herself in a mirror. She was trying to decide if she liked the dress she had on.

Within the first week after the eclipse, the Queen had sent out flyers, printed by Azkadelia's own people, bearing a picture of the reunited Royal Family, and explaining everything that had happened.

By the third week, legitimate tribute was making its way to the tower. Some, they redirected back to the palace in Central City. Others contained foodstuffs, necessities, no doubt arranged by the Queen through her newly prolific correspondence.

Soon, unfortunately, representatives of various regions of the Zone, as well as noble families would start arriving. The matters of manners and wardrobe had become the forefront of DG's concerns. It had taken a vigorous battle to retain her jeans and biker jacket. She'd found out that a similar machine to a motorcycle was available in Central City, and she longed to acquire one and escape for a few hours. Heck, she'd even take Cain along, it's not like he got in the way much.

Thoughts of Cain had her frowning at her reflection. His changed attitude still bothered her to no end, but she couldn't put her finger on why it made her so angry.

She had to admit, she was often hyper-aware of his presence. And the closer he got, the more she felt him. It was like, they both had invisible auras, and when he got close enough, those auras brushed, and she could feel the heat of it. The hair on her arms would stand up.

DG didn't consider herself a fool. She'd giggled over the hottest movie stars and rock stars in high school, just like the other girls. But she'd never quite felt the sort of desire the other girls claimed to feel for a guy. And she'd had sex, but while it had been nice, it wasn't like she was actively seeking a repeat experience.

But she had to admit to herself, there were times when she looked at Cain, and her breath caught in her throat. He would turn his head away, looking around, and she would glance up at him, and her eyes would be drawn to his collar, which he almost always left open, and she'd look at the point where his neck joined his shoulder, and just want to…. do SOMETHING. Jump on him, leap at him so he'd be forced to catch her and hold her, anything.

She put her hand to her cheek, feeling the blush hot in her skin. Footsteps in the hall startled her, forcing her to drag her thoughts back under control. The open door was DG's subtle signal that anyone, family or friends, could stop in and chat.

DG turned, wondering who was stopping by, when the bottom dropped out of her stomach. Standing in her doorway, Cain looked at her calmly, but he was turning his hat over and over in his hands. He wore his coat and vest, and she could see the butt of his gun in its holster. His collar was unbuttoned.

Swallowing hard, DG said, "Hey Cain. What's up?"

Cain seemed to straighten his back, though he always stood straight and tall. "Princess."

"C'mon in," she waved and turned back to the mirror. Trying to keep her cool, she didn't bug him about the mode of address, but instead started to ramble. "What do you think? I like blue, but I'm not sure this flatters me. I mean, first of all, it's a dress, which is bad enough, because you know me, I like my jeans. But secondly, I think it's a little too, um, little girlish, you know? God, I'd kill for the latest Cosmo to show people around here. Some of this stuff is just ridiculous. Although," and she turned, checking her profile, "I bet it would look better with my jacket…"

"Princess…" Cain interrupted her, his voice just the slightest bit strained.

Turning her patented wide-eyed look at him, DG asked, "What is it, Cain?"

He seemed to wince a little, but said, "I wanted to let you know, you'll be getting a new detail soon."

"What?" DG said, startled. "You're getting an assistant?"

Cain turned his hat over in his hands, looking down. "No." He looked back up at her. "A replacement."

DG felt like she'd been kicked in the gut. "What do you mean?"

Cain's face turned to stone. "I'm leaving. For a while. Got a mission from the Queen, to the unwanted's realm. I don't know how long it will take."

"My mother gave you a mission? Away from here?"

Cain's lips seemed to tighten before he replied, "I requested it."

DG couldn't believe her ears. "Why?" she whispered.

"I just need to get away for a while, that's all. Out of the tower a bit."

"I would like to get away for a while too," DG said, her voice wistful.

"Yeah. Well, at any rate, I'm going. Your new detail man will be here tomorrow morning. At least now, I won't annoy you anymore." He tried to smile, to make that a joke, but the curve of his lips didn't actually form a smile, and it came nowhere near his eyes.

DG felt like all the air had gone out of the room. She couldn't think of anything to make him stay.

After a moment of silence, Cain nodded. "Well, that's it. Take care of yourself, Princess." He put his hat back on, pulling it low over his eyes. Turning on his heel, he strode out of the room.

DG stood staring after him, her hands limp by her sides. "You said, it would only be that one time you wouldn't be with me..." she whispered helplessly.

* * *

Cain got ambushed in the stables. Glitch and Raw were waiting for him. He knew for sure it wasn't zipperhead who figured out his plans, so it had to be Raw who brought Glitch for back up.

"You're going away?" Raw asked.

Glitch turned away from his examination of a piece of tack to smile at Cain. "You're going, Cain? Where are you going? Are we going too?"

Cain grimaced slightly. "Yes, away, no." He tossed a set of saddlebags over the back of his white horse and tied them down.

"Why?" Raw reached out, covering one of Cain's hands with his own. The Tin Man didn't have the heart to shake him off.

Sighing, he explained, "She's gotta trust her detail. She's gotta be comfortable. And I'm just annoying her all the time. So I got her a new guard, and I'll make myself scarce." Unwillingly, thoughts of DG filled his mind, mental pictures of how she looked, posing before the mirror in a dress only a shade or two lighter than her eyes, her dark hair pulled over one shoulder, looking up at him. Her eyes, wide and deep like a lake, drawing him in. He remembered how the dress dipped lower in the back than the front, revealing an expanse of smooth creamy skin, and he had to concentrate to keep from reaching out for her.

Recognizing what was happening, Cain shook his head and took a step back. "Don't," he snapped harshly, shooting the Viewer a glare as he yanked his hand away.

Raw sighed heavily. "Sorry."

"Sure you are."

Glitch looked from one to the other, confused. "But, you can't leave now!"

Cain gave him a sympathetic look. "Hey, I'm sure those two alchemists that showed up yesterday will do right by you. And you can take your time healing up, and be fit and raring to go when I get back." Without physical contact, it would be harder for Raw to spot the lie, Cain hoped. He had no intention of coming back, even when he finished the Queen's mission.

"You make sure you take care of him," Cain told Raw as he cinched the girth on the saddle. He swung up on the mount, settling his hat firmly on his head. "And…. keep an eye on her too."

Both Raw and Glitch nodded solemnly. Cain gave the horse a solid boot, and rode out of the tower without looking back.

High above, on a balcony, DG watched him ride away.

* * *

"DG? Deeg?" Ahamo poked his head around the doorway to his younger daughter's room. The door was open, which mean either DG would welcome some company, or someone was cleaning. He didn't spot any staff, but the glass balcony door stood open as well. Ahamo followed the trail, finding DG standing stock still on the balcony, staring out towards Central City. "Hey, honey. Honey?" He walked over to her, and was startled to see the trails of tears on her cheeks. "Oh sweetie, what's wrong?" Ahamo wrapped an arm around her.

"He's gone," DG whispered hoarsely. "He left."

"You mean Cain? Yes, he left this afternoon. He…" Ahamo frowned. "You mean he never discussed it with you?"

DG looked up at him, and shook her head wordlessly.

"He just came up here and announced he was leaving?" Ahamo demanded. At DG's nod, he cursed under his breath, then pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm sorry, honey. Your mother and I, we thought you knew. We thought it was a decision you and he had made together."

DG hiccupped a little, her tears wetting Ahamo's shirt. "Why, dad? Why did he go?"

Ahamo sighed and stroked her hair. "Because sometimes, sweetie, men are idiots."

* * *

When she finally stopped crying, all DG felt was numb. It was like a huge part of her had been torn away, though she couldn't explain why.

She told as much to Az, who came to sit with her in the dark, the elder for once comforting the younger. "He's gone, and it hurts, even though he was kind of driving me nuts."

"He's your friend. Of course his leaving hurts you," Az said, trying to be sensible. "And I think, maybe, he wasn't really driving you crazy the way you think he was." She leaned over, to catch DG's eyes from where she'd left a little gap in her cocoon of blankets. "You were… accustomed to having him nearby. Now, you shall have to become accustomed to his being away." Azkadelia had her own ideas about her sister and the handsome Tin Man, but since DG was being so unbelievably obtuse, Azkadelia was not going to spell it out for her.

DG nodded. "You're right, of course. It's stupid. I've only known him for what, a month? I should be missing the folks back in Kansas, like Tracey and Karen, more." She thought of the girls who'd been her closest friends in high school, but actually, they'd gone away to college two years before, and their friendship was never quite the same after that.

Azkadelia stroked DG's head comfortingly. "And I'm sure he'll be back as soon as his mission for Mother is complete."

"Right. I can chew him out then."

But days passed with DG simply going through the motions of her life, and no word from Cain arrived. Finally, the sixth day, a terse message came, reporting that he'd arrived in the underground realm and made contact with some of Ahamo's informants. No words for DG were included in the note.

Every day, DG got a little thinner, a little more listless. And her eyes, formerly so full of life, became hollow expanses where no one lived.

Everyone worried about her. Yet at the same time, she almost managed to act normally. Not long after Cain left, with Raw's help to connect his mind, Glitch and the two alchemists came up with a plan to restore his brain. It involved a lot of time, the powers of the two princesses enhancing the abilities of Fang, the Viewer healer, and some very delicate surgical work.

The alchemists were able to stabilize the brain, making it possible to lift it out of the sustaining fluid. Glitch was strapped to a table, sedated also by the alchemists' chemical injections. With small and careful cuts, the head alchemist was able to remove the zipper. The second alchemist carefully prepared a strip of skin from Glitch's leg. It would be used after the brain was restored, grafted onto Glitch's scalp, in the space formerly occupied by the zipper. Later procedures would even be able to regrow his hair.

With excruciating care, the head alchemist removed the brain from its bath, disconnecting the wires that passed control into and out of the machine. He carefully aligned it in Glitch's skull, a magical stasis field maintained by Azkadelia keeping the patient stable. Once the placement was correct, he nodded to Fang and Raw. The two Viewers went to work. Raw and Fang held hands, their free hands on Glitch's shoulders as they stood on either side of the operating table. DG covered their joined hands with both of her own, pouring her own power into the Viewers, for their use. The second alchemist swiftly placed a sterile steel skull plate into place, and both worked to replace Glitch's scalp and graft in the skin from his leg. Glitch's head had been shaved, the easier to work with, though it had taken a great deal of reassurance from DG to assure the man that his hair would grow back.

With Raw's ability to See, and even more, his understanding of how Seeing and Healing could interact, he and Fang were able to handle the internal repair, reconnecting the cerebral cortex, the central nervous system, and doing a great deal to encourage the reintegration of Glitch's neural pathways. DG had done a lot of explaining the last few days, trying to recall high school biology, with some help from Ahamo, who at least had completed a college education before Slipping. Together with the alchemists, and Glitch's own formidable intellect, they'd managed to give the Viewers a good idea of what was needed.

The entire process took more than two hours, at which point both Viewers staggered back, breaking all connections and gasping with exhaustion. DG felt the sweat running down her temples, and down her back. Azkadelia had the last job, carefully releasing the stasis field, while the alchemists checked Glitch's vitals.

Finally, the head alchemist nodded. "Pulse rate steady, pulmonary activity normal. We'll let him rest a while before checking for ocular responsiveness."

"Are you sure?" DG asked, intellectually engaged. "After all, lack of response would indicate problems. If his pupils react normally, we can rule out any bruising of the brain, like a concussion." She wasn't sure she was right, but seemed to remember that from television shows.

The lead alchemist, a man who'd gained his Mastery while Lavender Eyes was still a princess, eyed DG speculatively, but then nodded to the other alchemist. "She has a point. Check him."

After a moment of shining a small light into an unconscious Glitch's eyes, the second alchemist reported responses normal, and everyone sighed a little in relief.

Glitch was wheeled to the infirmary for recovery. The Queen hugged both her daughters and the two Viewers, much to Fang's shock, and thanked the alchemists. "I'm so proud of you," she told her girls. DG smiled weakly, but Azkadelia flushed a deep rose, and demurred.

"Majesty," said the lead alchemist, "should your younger daughter wish to pursue a mastery in Alchemy, I would be most honored to have the teaching of her." Everyone stared at him in surprise. Addressing DG directly, he said, "You have impressed me this week with your knowledge and your innovative ideas. Your innate understanding of form versus function, of mechanics and biology, and your powerful magic, lead me to believe you could attain Grand Mastery over all the alchemists in the O.Z. in time."

"I – I – " DG stammered, floored by the offer. "I haven't thought about pursuing anything! I was just helping."

The Queen intervened. "Perhaps we can table this discussion. It was a trying procedure, and I'm sure you're all tired. I am overjoyed with your success."

They parted then, the alchemists to their chambers, the Royals to their upper level floors. Emily had agreed to watch over Glitch, and notify them all if he should wake on his own before the next day.

In her chamber, DG stripped off the protective jumpsuit she'd worn. The latex-like material clung to her, but once removed, left her skin clammy and cold. She immediately stepped into her bath.

Letting the heat of the water sink into her bones, DG stared up at the ceiling. "We did it. We fixed Glitch. We put his brain back where it belongs. They think he's going to be fine." She sighed. "I wish you were here to see it."

* * *

DG's new detail was an older Tin Man from Central City. Whereas Cain had always looked like either the outlaw or the hero, Bill Johnson looked exactly like a lawman from the western movies DG remembered. He had dark salt and pepper hair, and a dark salt and pepper handlebar moustache. He carried two guns, instead of one. His voice was deeper, gravelly. Like Cain, he never voiced any opinions about DG's activities. Like Cain, he was a silent shadow most of the time. And very much unlike Cain, DG didn't really care one way or the other about him.

"Trained with Cain, back in the day, Ma'am," Johnson explained when Azkadelia, trying to stir some interest from DG, questioned the man about his background. "Hung 'em up back when, well, when the troubles started. Kept my head down, unlike Cain. He always was a hot head."

DG's head turned to look at him fully for the first time. "You knew Cain all this time?"

"Yes Ma'am."

"But.. excuse me, but you look much older than Cain."

"Well, he spent eight annuals in a Tin Suit, so I hear. Rest of us had to live that time."

"Thank you," said Azkadelia smoothly. "I'm sure you'll provide the very best protection for my sister."

Johnson had tipped his hat, a different style than Cain's, and took up his position outside the door.

"What did he mean, Az? About the Tin Suit?"

Azkadelia sighed. "The Tin Suits aren't just a prison. They're sort of a stasis field, like what I used to stabilize Ambrose. But the spell is anchored in the suit, self-sustaining. Theoretically, someone could live indefinitely in one, though to be honest, the longest I've ever heard of anyone living in one was Mr. Cain." Azkadelia thought, did a little math. "It's basically as if, when he was put in the suit, he stopped aging, until he got out again."

DG stared out the window. "So he's not really_ that _much older than I am. Not really."

"No," Az agreed. She wished DG would realize what seemed so obvious to everyone else. Her little sister was in love with the Tin Man. Az knew if DG just sent word, asking him to come back, that Mr. Cain would probably ride all day and all night. Because Az could tell that Mr. Cain loved DG back.

She sighed, wishing she could be so lucky. But Azkadelia was afraid that her love had been sacrificed a long time ago, and now matter how much healing went on, it was probably never coming back.

* * *

Cain slipped through the streets of the Realm mostly unnoticed. There were a number of things going on here, unsavory things that he was spying out and reporting on. Cain didn't mind that part of the job, it was for the greater good. Even after he'd done what he set out to do, which was let certain individuals know it was safe to return topside, he kept on moving in and about the Realm, taking notes, making reports, using a little strong arm persuasion now and then.

He wasn't the law, not really, but he sent and received messages of interest, and acted on them if necessary.

Almost a month had passed since he'd ridden away, and every moment, she haunted him. At first, once his initial mission had finished, he'd tried drink, and then he tried a whore, and then he tried drink and a whore together. But the drink didn't so much as blur the memory of DG's eyes and smile, the whore didn't excite him in the least, and the two together just made him feel disgusted with himself.

So here he was, stalking the Realm. In his bleaker moments, when he could be honest, he told himself he was hiding, and that he was an idiot. No matter what he told himself, he wasn't able to lock away the feelings he had for DG, and every night when he woke from dreams of having her in his arms again, he'd berate himself for forlorn hope.

But what he was doing was important work. The initial mission, to find certain contacts of Ahamo's from when he'd been the Seeker, had worked out well. These people were in fact representatives of noble houses sent underground by the Witch's evil. People who could have led the Resistance faster and more effectively, had not the Witch started her reign of terror by hunting them down like sport animals. Many noble bloodlines had been decimated. But those that remained had developed a network of contacts, and Ahamo's information let Cain quietly pass the news of the Witch's defeat. The population of the Realm had fallen almost noticeably as people returned topside.

There were places in the Realm where Cain could walk up to the bar, order a drink and sit. From there he could listen to the conversations around him.

Every once in a while, someone would sit near him. After a moment, that person would pose a soft question, usually "is it true?"

In his own way, Cain would pass on minimal information, letting them know yes, it was all true. At that point, the person would usually buy Cain a drink, and disappear again. The next day, another shack or enterprise would be closed up, the tenants returning to their homes above.

There were other places in the Realm where Cain slipped in, moved to the darkest corner of the room, and settled in. He kept his back to a wall, noted and watched every possible exit. He kept his mouth shut and his ears open.

Growing grimmer daily, Cain haunted the dark corners of the Realm. And one day, it turned out to be a good thing.

He didn't catch much of the conversation. The latest gossip had the Royal Family finally relocating to Central City just ahead of the rains, so when he overheard something about Royal and Central, he initially dismissed it.

But then he caught three specific words that arrested his attention.

The first two bothered him: "Princess" and "plan".

The third chilled him down to his bones.

"Zero."

TBC

_A/N: Hello again and thank you all for the lovely reviews! WOOT! I'm probably going to start posting even faster than one chapter a day, because I want to get this out before certain elements become cliche or fanon. In answer to one comment: yes, Cain leaves, and maybe it is a little cliche already, but the man is damned stubborn and probably won't get it until he gets his face rubbed in it. At any rate, I started parts of this fic, concepts and elements, before the series even finished, so hey: if we're all on board with the same ideas, all I can say is, we're all in excellent company..._


	5. Chapter 5

5

Ahamo tapped on the door before entering his daughter's room. Here in Central City, there were fewer balconies, but most rooms had huge windows overlooking the city. DG's room had one entire wall of glass, hung with rich blue curtains that closed themselves just by shifting a lever.

DG stood by the window, looking down at the hustle and bustle of the city. It seems busier to her than it had on her last visit.

"What do you think?" Ahamo asked quietly.

DG sighed. "It's a little like Gotham." A glance at her father told her he didn't get the reference. "Um, like Bonnie and Clyde."

Ahamo smiled. "Near as I can tell, the O.Z. progressed almost parallel to the OtherSide until about the 1940s, there."

"That explains a lot about the fashion, at least." DG's voice was dryly humorous, but anyone could tell her heart wasn't in it. It was how most of her conversation was these days.

Ahamo sat on a nearby loveseat. "Well, it was a surprise to me. It was 1969 when I Slipped. I was twenty-two, just out of college, off to see the world. My number hadn't come up yet on the Draft, so I was trying to pack as much life in as I could. I figured, I was due for call up any day."

DG sat next to him. "1969. Sheesh. Woodstock and Moon Landings and Vietnam, oh my."

"I take it, things got worse?"

"Yeah. You know, you can't go back, you're probably wanted for draft dodging."

"Probably. Anyway, I grew up in Omaha, Nebraska. Once I finished school, I set out to travel. Had a pick-up with the balloon in the back, and I went around performing at fairs, festivals. You know, juggling, breathing fire, balancing act, that sort of thing."

"You were a _carnie_?"

"I preferred to see myself more as a modern day minstrel, thank you very much!"

DG nodded, taking that in. Then suddenly, she groaned. "Omaha. Ahamo! Oh boy, that's really awful, Dad."

Ahamo laughed at her pained expression.

"What's your real name?" DG asked.

Ahamo winced. "So help me god, it really is John Smith."

DG groaned again. "No wonder you wanted to make up a new one." She peered at him, and then said, "You really do look great for your age, Dad."

That comment only made Ahamo laugh harder. "Oh god, Deeg. I was going to ask what year it was when you left, only now I don't think I want to know!"

"I can just give you highlights, if you want?" Ahamo nodded, and DG turned back to the window, recalling the cultural history of a place that was never quite home. "Well, you had Martin Luther King and JFK and the moon landing. You missed Pro Love turning Anti War, and Free Love became the Sexual Revolution. And when we finally got the hell out of Vietnam, it was the Me Era, and the Feel Good era, sex drugs and rock and roll, which eventually became the Big Eighties, when Greed was Good, and Republicanism ruled. Then the era of Conspicuous Consumption became the Technology Era, and everything that was big and expensive became tiny and even more expensive. When I left, everything was global: Global economy, global warming, global terrorism." DG shook her head. "The Zone is much better, Dad, trust me. You haven't missed a thing."

Ahamo sighed, putting an arm around her. "I missed a few things here too, sweetie. But it's getting much better now."

* * *

It was a small comfort to DG that both Ambrose and Raw came with the Royal Family to Central City. Of course, after his operation, Ambrose was reintegrated into his place in the Royal family. He was managing remarkably well with his restored brain, though he retained the sunny outlook he'd had as Glitch. And he told DG, she can call him Glitch forever if she wanted to.

Raw had been the bigger surprise. DG fully expected him to leave them to return to his homelands with the other Viewers, but instead he expressed a wish to stay with DG and Glitch. Knowing that he was a creature of nature, and the City was about as far from Nature as you could get in the O.Z., DG had asked why he'd want to join them.

Raw had smiled. "I will stay with my friends and see the City again."

"What interests you in the City, Raw?" Azkadelia asked.

Raw thought a moment, then answered, "Interesting smells."

* * *

"Princess?"

"It's DG. If you're still Glitch, I'm still DG."

"Of course, DG." Ambrose sat next to her at the large desk, where DG was reading over an essay on the relationships of various noble houses to the House of Gale. "I think I wrote that," he commented, looking over her shoulder.

"I'm pretty sure you did." DG sighed. "I'm never going to remember all this. The first big Ball is tonight, and I know Mother's going to want to introduce me to everyone and their uncle. Eventually, I'm going to insult somebody."

Ambrose patted her shoulder. "Everyone knows you were raised on the Other Side for your protection now. No one is going to hold it against you." He pointed a finger at the ornate family tree pictured on the page. "There you are, right there."

"Ugh." DG glanced at the notation, then rolled her eyes. "When I was a kid, I used to bug my parents all the time, wanting to know what DG stood for. And they always used to say, 'it stands for you, honey' and change the subject. But know that I know what it stands for…. I wish I was back to being ignorant."

Ambrose frowned a little at her. "You don't like your name? Your great great grandmother was one of the greatest Queens the O.Z. has ever seen. She was a Slipper, like your father, and she united the Zone, made it a great land."

"Hey, I'm as admiring of Granny as the next Zoner, ok? I just…. I'm not crazy about the way it's all… run together. Dorothigale. You people have some odd naming practices around here. I mean, Mom is literally Lavender Eyes! How original is that?" She sighed. "I guess, looking back, I liked being just DG. DG was whoever she wanted to be. She wasn't a princess, or a savior, or anything. She was a farm girl, an artist and mechanic, a sometime waitress….. a speed demon on a motorcycle…..and even when she ended up here, she had friends who were HER friends, not The Princess's Friends."

Ambrose smiled sadly. "We're still here, DG. We're still DG's friends." His voice was warm and sympathetic. He understood her unhappiness, wasn't insulted by what she'd said. He understood it.

"I know," she sighed, and leaned her head against his shoulder. Ambrose wrapped an arm around her. "But that's not…. entirely true anymore. Is it?"

Glitch sighed in turn. He'd spent some time wondering at Cain's motivations. He also took a good hard look at his own. Ambrose of the Third House was the second son of the Queen's first cousin. He'd been educated and trained to be a bodyguard and companion to a member of the First House. The selection was an honor, and a tacit approval of Ambrose as more than just companion, if such inclinations arose.

He now remembered happier times, creating clever little toys to amuse Azkadelia and Dorothigale when they were small. He also remembered the crushing feeling when Azkadelia changed, turning from the intelligent, charming, demure twelve annual old, to something strange and terrible, with an ancient intelligence staring out from formerly warm eyes. And then the death of DG! He had not been told that DG had been saved. All he knew was that instead of becoming a protector and companion to a princess, he became a devoted advisor and protector of a Queen, grieving for her dead child and her changed daughter, and suffering from the apparent abandonment of her husband.

Now, he had a hard time reconciling the remembered affection for Azkadelia, the terror of her rise to power as the Witch, and finally, his knowledge of her possession. It confused him to look at her now, and see the demure girl again, after fifteen annuals of horrors. His heart ached for her, but his mind was still wary.

And how he worried about DG, whom he loved dearly as his friend, going through every day carrying a weight of hurt, simply because she cared for a man who seemed capable of shutting off his own heart. Ambrose gave her a squeeze. The best he could do was support her and try to keep her busy. And give Cain a piece of his mind, no pun intended, when the Tin Man returned. If ever.

"Here, let me help you with this," he said, filling his voice with false cheer. "The First House is always the Queen and her direct descendants. The Second House is made up of the children of those members of the First House that do not inherit the Crown. The Third House is the children of the Second House. The Fourth House is their children. It's all based on their blood distance from the Queen. Now, the fringe zones that owe the Queen their allegiance all have their own nobility. These bloodlines…."

* * *

Cain rode hard northwest towards the old Resistance camp. Like every Tin Man, he'd been drilled hard during training in Outer Zone geography. Ask a Tin Man for directions, and he could give you at least four ways to get anywhere, depending on what your goals were: safety, expediency, etc. Most of the time, even "fast" was divided into two possible routes. There was fast, and then there was fastest but nearly suicidal. The latter almost always involved cutting through the fields of the Pappay in the central region of the Zone.

Throughout the whole journey to discover DG's past and defeat the Witch, Cain had known exactly where he was at all times. His mind made a map of their route, and remembered every stopping point on the way. He never wavered as he guided his horse through the trees.

Reining in with the suns high above, he slipped down from his mount and moved through the trees, his hat low and pistol in hand. He approached the tin suit from behind, keeping a careful eye out for traps and for tracks. He spotted the signs of at least three people recently near the suit.

Finally making his way around, he could see it. The suit was opened. Someone had popped the pins and freed that murderous son of a bitch.

* * *

"Oh DG," sighed the Queen. "You look lovely!"

The dress, an off-white, high-waisted number, complimented DG well enough. It had traceries of embroidered red peonies on it, with a square neckline that did not reveal too much. DG's hair was piled high on her head, a few stray curls left hanging to artfully define her long neck. She wore only the silver locket for jewelry, recovered from Akzadelia's study where Zero had handed it in. DG had been overjoyed to rediscover it, shortly after the Eclipse.

Akzadelia wore a similar dress, only slightly creamier in color, with green ivy instead of flowers. She didn't wear any jewelry at all. The Emerald was locked safely in a secure box in the heart of the palace, until time could be found for DG to return it to the Grey Gale's safe keeping.

The Queen's snow white gown had slightly more train, slightly more embroidery, and a lot more flash. Her dress had roses, and the green stems and red petals were enhanced here and there with emeralds and rubies sewn into the embroidery. A crimson sash embroidered in gold crossed from her shoulder to her hip. In addition, she wore a necklace of rubies, emeralds and diamonds, topping the ensemble off with the Crown of the Outer Zone, a confection of diamonds and something called 'star steel', a precious metal found only in the Zone.

DG smiled slightly at her mother's compliment. "We look very Imperial Court, don't we? Let's hope no crazy mystic monk tries to curse us all."

"I beg your pardon?" The Queen replied, confused.

"Never mind," DG sighed.

From behind them came a chuckle. "No Rasputins here," Ahamo assured his youngest. The Royal women had already gathered in the Queen's levee room. Ahamo was the last of the family to arrive. He moved to stand beside Lavender, with DG and Azkadelia flanking them. They all looked at themselves in the enormous mirror. "Although, I see your point." Ahamo's outfit of white pants and shoes, and a red uniform jacket well encrusted with gold braid, complemented his women perfectly. "We certainly look like the Romanovs, don't we?"

"The whom?" asked Azkadelia. She was often intrigued by the alternate world history her sister and father seemed to share.

"Royal family. Overthrown. All of them assassinated." DG explained tersely.

"DG." The Queen's voice was gently chiding. "No thoughts of disaster tonight. This is the first formal Ball with the entire Royal Family in attendance."

"Ever?" asked DG.

"Ever. And I expect that while you will find much of the proceedings dull, you will do your duty. You and Azkadelia will be free later in the evening to socialize."

DG nodded. It wasn't hard to sit through the formalities. She simply stared and nodded and let her mind wander. _I wish you were here, _she thought. _Even though red really isn't your color._

Among others, Jeb Cain was in attendance. He'd served the Queen from the moment of the Eclipse. Now the Queen was elevating him to the rank of Colonel in the Royal Army. Again, DG wished she could tease and joke with someone who wasn't there.

She'd just about reached a zone-out level of zen-like proportions when the quartet approaching the dais where the Royal Family sat caught her attention. The lead two figures where a lovely woman, with rich dark brown hair, and dark eyes, and the whitest skin DG had ever seen, almost unnaturally white. Her escort was an enormous man of powerful build, also dark of hair and eye, with white skin. His huge bristling moustache made even Johnson's look wimpy. The two younger men, though still older than DG, behind them matched the first couple in coloring. All four wore garments of shimmering blue and green fabric, the lead couple in formal wear, the younger two in outfits like uniforms, all with magnificent mantles of some sleek dark fur DG didn't recognize.

"Chieftain Cullum. Lady Colleen. I'm so delighted to see you, so pleased you made the journey south!" The Queen actually rose to greet these to dignitaries, clasping their hands. "Are these your sons? My goodness, time has passed."

"Yes, my queen," replied the Chieftain, his voice a bass rumbling croak unlike anything DG had ever heard. "Our boys have grown up."

"You may not remember, so let me reintroduce them," said the Lady, her voice merely higher in tone, but otherwise alike to her husband's. "The elder, Culain," she indicated the young man to their right, "And the younger, Conor." Both young men made graceful bows.

"I'm so pleased to welcome you. Please, enjoy the Ball," said the Queen, indicating they could go if they chose. DG watched as they moved into the crowd. There seemed almost to be a faint scent about them, like cold winds and saltwater.

Hours later, DG managed to find the two young men standing together, watching the dancing. She herself had avoided all invitations to dance. When DG walked up to the men, they bowed together, almost identically. She supposed they were handsome. They both had long lean faces, and also sported moustashes, though neither as bristly nor large as their father's. The elder actually had a goatee, yet his facial hair was so fine, DG could still see the glow of his pale skin beneath it.

"Princess Dorothigale," the elder, Culain, said in greeting. "We are honored." His voice too had the same strange croaking quality.

"Where do you come from?" DG asked, curious about them.

"We live in the northern waters. Only once an annual do our people swim south, to bear our young. It is even more rare that we visit southern lands."

"Northern _waters_?" DG repeated, incredulous.

"Excuse me," interrupted the younger, Conor, sounding exactly like his brother. "I believe Her Highness was raised on the Other Side? Perhaps she does not recall that she numbers the Seal Folk amongst her people?"

DG's jaw dropped. In a whisper, she said, "You're Selkies."

Culain cocked his head questioningly. "I'm not familiar with the term."

"On the Other side, you're legends, myths. Your people are called Selkies." She stared at their mantles. "Are those…?"

Conor smiled. "Yes, we wear our hides at all times."

"Because, if you're parted from them…." DG shook her head. Meeting these people had brought back a little of the magic of the Zone for her.

The brothers both smiled, enchanted by DG's obvious delight. "Would you dance with me, Princess?" asked Culain.

Surprised, DG agreed. She thought she'd like to be friends with these nice young men. She danced a simple waltz with Culain, and a set dance with Conor. As Conor escorted her back to their place by the walls, he asked quietly, "The protector – does he live?"

"What?" DG was startled by the question.

Conor glanced around. "I do not mean to disturb you. I was concerned. I was on patrol, in the inlet where the Winter Palace stands. Long has that patrol been a quiet, lonely path, with the palace frozen over, abandoned. Then, as I approached, I felt the vibration of activity through the waters, like many footsteps on the ice. I waited, hoping perhaps to be hailed, given news of events on land, when with a tremendous crash, a man's body fell into the water, through the ice! I quickly caught him, and when I looked up, I could see his enemy. I waited, holding his head above water under an ice overhang, until those dressed in darkness departed. Then I heaved the man onto the ice. I could tell, your highness, that he was a Protector. The aura of this was all around him. He appeared to be wounded somehow, though no blood ran. I could not at that time transform safely, but left him by the entrance to the Palace, and hoped his own might aid him."

DG's hand slipped from Conor's arm during this tale, and she stared at him, dumbfounded. She'd never been told what happened to Cain in the Palace. All she'd known was that he came for her in the Witch's Tower.

"I fear…" Conor started, then in a most deferential voice, asked, "Did he not survive?"

"He did survive," DG answered, her voice hitching. "Thank you, thank you so much for saving him. I didn't… I didn't know…."

"My duty and honor, Highness. But, he is not here?"

"No. He's not. Not right now."

"Unfortunate. I would have liked to speak with him."

DG laughed mirthlessly. "Me too."

Now that she'd been seen dancing, she had no choice but to accept offers. She danced with several men she'd only met that night, until at last Glitch claimed her hand.

"C'mon, DG," he said cheerfully, still a brightly shining soul even with his mind and memories intact. "One thing that was never damaged was my excellent sense of rhythm!"

He steered her about the floor in swooping patterns that bore no resemblance to what anyone else was doing, and still managed to make them look graceful, as if everyone else on the floor had lead feet. DG found herself smiling despite herself, faintly happy to have a friend's arms around her.

But afterwards, her pleasure was dimmed when she saw Azkadelia standing alone. True, several courtiers were attempting to make polite talk, their strained expressions giving away their uncertainty about the elder Princess. DG couldn't recall seeing Azkadelia dance with anyone except their father all evening.

"Glitch?"

"Yes, DG?" The former advisor, now reinstated, made sure to address her by name at all times, at her request. It was a relief. Neither he nor Raw ever forgot they were her friends first.

"Would you do me a tremendous huge favor if I asked it?"

"Of course! Say the word."

DG hesitated, then plunged ahead. "I'm going to ask Raw to dance. Will you ask Azkadelia?"

* * *

Cain had wasted about two minutes cursing every imaginative swear word he could think of, including a few colorful ones he made up. He kicked the tin suit, bruised his toes, cursed some more, and then limped back to his horse.

He had to make a tough decision then. He could ride north, back to Central City, to warn them. However, it wasn't unusual for someone to get let out of a tin suit, and to be honest, he wasn't sure if perhaps someone had actually fetched Zero for some reason. Jeb knew what had been done with the Witch's henchman. He could have ordered Zero brought to the City for a trial and proper sentencing.

In addition, Cain didn't have anything to go on besides three words and the knowledge that a very dangerous man wasn't where Cain had left him.

His other option was to return to the realm of the unwanted. He could spy some more, try to pick up the threads of a possible conspiracy against the Royal Family. If he could track down one of the shady figures from the bar, follow them, listen in a bit more, maybe he could gather enough information to stop whatever plan might be in motion. He doubted he could infiltrate the conspirators, but he could try to track them. If he was really lucky, he could get whatever evidence he could, and get that to the proper authorities before anything happened to either princess.

Unfortunately, he thought as he spurred his horse back south towards the realm, he had a sinking feeling that he was already far behind, and he worried he knew exactly which princess was in danger.

* * *

"Can I come in?"

"Sure, Az." DG moved over, so her sister could sit with her on the loveseat and stare out over the City. Both girls wore robes over their nightgowns, the evening's finery put away, faces washed and hair brushed free.

Az clasped hands with DG, as they silently stared out the windows. After a few quiet minutes, Az said, "That was quite the extravaganza tonight, wasn't it?"

DG made a face. "It was like a twisted coming-out cotillion. Ick." She looked at Az. "Did you feel as much on display as I did?"

"Of course." Az sighed heavily. "In addition, I felt like people were expecting me to suddenly.. I don't know, hiss. Or kill someone. Or grow horns."

DG's giggle was the slightest bit hysterical. "And I'm supposed to be this tall shining goddess of a princess, instead of some short, underdeveloped weirdo who doesn't know Proper Behavior." Azkadelia laughed with her, and they sort of leaned into one another, both relieved from the stress of the first Royal Ball of the season.

"Did you have fun?" Az asked.

"No." DG answered flatly. "Did you?"

Az blushed. "A little."

DG eyed her sister. "Lemme guess. That five minutes you waltzed with Ambrose?"

Az turned an even deeper shade of red, and DG cried, "I knew it! What is going on there? There's something going on, and you won't tell me!"

Az shushed DG frantically. "It's just… it's just… when I was a little girl, before the witch … Ambrose isn't much older than us, DG. No more than ten years older than I, I think. And he was already brilliant when he came to Finacqua, and trained as well to be a Royal bodyguard. I think Mother meant for him to be my guard eventually, but oh, I was so young, and I quickly felt …. I don't know what you'd call it."

"You had a crush on him."

Az gave DG a puzzled look, but said, "Yes, that sounds right. I tried so hard to be mature and sensible when he was around. I studied everything I could get my hands on, trying to impress him with how intelligent I was." She sighed. "And then, the witch happened. And you know what she did."

DG squeezed her sister's hand. "You've been afraid all this time, that once he remembered fully everything that happened, Ambrose would hate you." Az nodded, sadly. "But he doesn't, you know." DG caught her sister's eye. "He really doesn't. He gets that you were possessed. He probably has a feeling of guilt somewhere that he wasn't able to save you himself. You said he was trained to be a bodyguard." DG paused. "That would explain what Cain was talking about once, when he said Glitch was a good man in a fight." She shrugged. "I'll bet, if you give him the chance, Glitch will apologize for not being smart enough to save you."

Az's jaw dropped. "Oh no! There wasn't anything he could have done!"

DG shrugged. "These protective types, I know how they are. They blame themselves for the dumbest things." DG trailed off, turning to stare out the window again, caught by a sudden thought.

But before she could articulate it, another knock came at the door. When invited, the visitor turned out to be Emily, bearing a tray of steaming mugs.

"I thought I might find you girls still up," she said, gently chiding. "It's been a long day, you must need to wind down." Setting the tray on a side table, she handed each princess a warm mug. "It's not cocoa, but it's the best I could do. More like warm chocolate milk, but that will help you sleep too."

"Thanks, Momster," DG said, taking a sip. Az murmured her thanks as well.

Emily eyed her two charges a moment, then said, "Well, if this isn't one of the sorriest sights in the Zone," her voice stern.

"What?" DG asked, surprised.

"Well, look at you. Both of you, pinin' away after males. DG, this isn't like you at all! Why, I recall it was you that asked that Todd Miggs out the first time. You used to go after what you wanted every time. Your Pop and I had to keep a tight rein on you, you know that now, but I have no doubt, had we let you, you'd've gone right after your dreams, grabbing at 'em with both hands." Emily turned to Az. "And you," she shook her head. "Poor dear, you're so scared people are gonna be mad at you, you're afraid to even ASK for forgiveness, and it's your right to ask, darling." She dropped a kiss on Azkadelia's forehead, the older princess frozen in shock. "And they ought to be forgiving you, every time, because it wasn't none of your fault. And the folks that matter, the folks that are smart enough, will see that. You had a whole world in your hands once, Azkadelia honey. But you're still afraid people are gonna look at you, and see the Witch, not the princess. Well, let me tell you something, both you girls listen up. Every woman has to have a little bit of a bitch inside, just to survive."

DG gasped at her nurture unit's language, shocked to her toes. But Emily just nodded, "Especially when dealing with men. Keeps your back straight, and your feet planted. You remember that."

She picked up the tray to leave, when DG jumped to her feet. "Momster –" she hugged Emily, then said, "Did Mother send you up here?"

"She might've," Emily dodged. "Or, I might've been already on my way up here with hot chocolate…"

DG grinned, the first honest grin she'd worn in a while, and hugged the nurture unit again. "Love ya, Momster," she whispered.

Emily smiled in return, including Azkadelia in its glow. "You girls get on to bed now. It's been a long day."

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

6

Before he reentered the realm, Cain stopped by the Prince Consort's former home. Ahamo had given Cain permission to use the underground house, giving him the location of the lakeside entrance, and the code to the combination lock that opened the hidden door from one of the underground town's back alleys.

When Cain stepped through that door, shutting it firmly behind him, he no longer looked like himself. Deliberately encrusted with dirt, in worn buckskins, he looked like a woodsman. A floppy fur hat covered his hair and hid his face. His gun was hidden in the coat's deep pocket, and instead on his hip he wore a wicked woodsman's knife. Fortunately, he did know how to use it.

Thus disguised, he spent the next three days making discreet contacts among those in the realm he knew to be useful. He skulked through the darkest corners, keeping his eyes and ears open.

He heard a little more. Word was that some former Longcoats didn't buy the apparent transformation of their mistress. Malcontents grumbled to one another about the "Outsider Princess", choosing to believe that she'd somehow imprisoned Azkadelia, fleeced the Queen, and it was only a matter of time before DG took power for herself. Most believed that the younger princess really had died years ago, and swore this outsider, this Slipper, must be an imposter.

"Better the bitch you know," muttered one criminal to his companions in Cain's hearing.

Four days after confirming Zero's escape from the tin suit, a company of twelve Royal soldiers appeared in the realm. Cain didn't recognize a one, so he didn't make contact right away. The Redcoats, as they were called, marched openly into the realm, crimson livery bright in the perpetual dimness. Their captain posted notices. By decree of the Queen, those that had relocated to the realm in fear of the Witch may return to their homes. All property would be restored if the claimant could find some evidence to support their claim. Testimonial from former neighbors would be acceptable. The soldiers were soon surrounded, answering questions, and soon a sort of festival atmosphere infected the realm.

Cain lurked on the fringes, watching for who looked delighted and happy, and who looked disgruntled at this new influence the Queen exerted in the formerly lawless realm.

Soon a whore, passing from man to man in search of a client, walked up to Cain. Normally, he was able to discourage their attentions with a glare. This woman was not discouraged. She walked right up to him, sidling close and smiling.

"Hey there, lonely man. Looking for some company?"

"Move on," Cain ordered shortly.

She smiled wider, running her hand up his arm to his shoulder. "I bear a message for you," she said quietly. "Tin man."

He stared at her. "From who?" He too kept his voice low.

She fluttered her lashes at him, looking like any other whore trying to score a client. "A little man with a big damned mouth."

Cain smirked. Almost as soon as he arrived in the realm all those weeks ago, he'd made contact with an Easterner that ran a fence operation. The munchkin Guildman was one of Ahamo's contacts. The creep hadn't had much nice to say about the Royals, and Cain had lifted him up by the throat, one handed, and snarled in his face, _you're a little man with a big damned mouth, aren't you?_

They'd been alone in a locked shop at the time, so Cain knew there was no way this whore could have known the phrase without being specifically told.

With a suggestive tilt to his head, Cain wrapped an arm around the whore's waist, pulling her closer, his other hand playing with the shoulder strap of her barely-there dress. "So, what's the message, huh?" He grinned, making it look like the two were merely haggling over price.

"The message is," she said, toying with his earlobe, "they've already moved out. Get going, Tin Man. They got word of the Queen's patrol early, moved up the operation."

Cain's expression never flickered, but his breath hissed through his teeth in frustration.

With a falsely rueful smile, the whore stepped away as if pulling herself from his grasp, saying in a normal voice, "Sorry, fella. No platinum, no play!" She flipped her hair, and sashayed off in search of a legitimate customer.

Cain waited a few minutes more, scanning the crowd to make sure no attention was paid to him before slipping off. It was the work of less than an hour to get back to Ahamo's house, change back into his own clothes, and get mounted up and galloping back north towards Central City.

* * *

"Az?" 

"Yes?"

"Have you ever thought about just telling him?"

Azkadelia stared at her sister, jaw hanging. "You mean, Ambrose?"

"Yeah." DG stood by the one large window in the library. Most of their days were spent there, studying, practicing magic. Tutor lectured DG and quizzed her for hours at a time. Azkadelia attended every session she could with DG, if the Queen didn't require her presence, for support, and to help herself remember the things her possession had set aside. Right now, they were alone in the room. Johnson and Azkadelia's new bodyguard, the aptly named Bullit, waited outside the door. Bullit was a former Long Coat, had been in the Royal Army before Azkadelia usurped the throne, and was of the attitude that he served the Royal Family, regardless of Witches or who actually wore the crown. Guermo had found him and sent him to Central City. Ahamo had questioned the man vigorously, but then signed off on the assignment.

"I mean," DG continued, still staring into the rainy grey city, "if being a princess didn't matter, and him being still sort of recovering didn't matter, and the whole cutting out his brain could be set aside, would you ever try just going up to him and saying something like 'I love you, can't we try this?'"

Az flushed deeply. "Well, first of all, the princess thing really doesn't matter."

DG finally turned to look at her, her expression intent. "What do you mean?"

"Oh Deeg. I know Mother has been parading every eligible young nobleman in front of us, but you know she wants us to marry for love, don't you?"

"So, we don't have to marry a noble? I thought there was a rule or something?"

Az shook her head. "Oh no. Father isn't a noble, though to a certain extent, Slippers are given a commensurate amount of respect. He and Mother, they fell in love at first sight. She's just… well, the nobility is our social circle. Generally, it's a little out of the ordinary for a princess to be friendly enough with someone not noble enough to fall in love."

DG nodded, and turned back to the window.

Az sighed quietly, understanding exactly the impact of that information on her sister. She wondered if Mr. Cain knew that. She eyed DG a moment, and then asked her sister, "What about you, DG? I know…. I do know how you feel about him. Would you consider it?"

DG straightened her back, and said, "At this point, I'm seriously considering it."

Az hid a smile. "Me too."

* * *

If simply language could change the air around you, then the air around Wyatt Cain would be blue. He even toyed with the idea he was under some sort of Curse of Bad Luck. First, his horse threw a shoe. Even though he did manage to find a blacksmith to re-shoe the animal, the daily deluge of rains began. He didn't dare ride in this: he couldn't see, the horse couldn't see, it would take one wrong step and the animal would go down with a broken leg, and who knew what sort of injury Cain would get being thrown at a gallop. 

He had to wait until the rain stopped. This could put him a full day behind the conspirators. Granted, they would have had to hole up during the daily rain as well, but Cain had no information about what sort of transportation they might be using. If horses, he wouldn't be falling too far behind. But if they had a van….

The blacksmith let him wait out the rains in the barn, which backed onto the forge. It was hot, it was humid. Cain was sweating through his shirt. And his incessant pacing as he cursed the rain, praying for it to end so he could get back on the road, and back to DG's side, wasn't helping either.

* * *

"Tell me again why we're going out?" DG asked, putting the finishing touches on her up-do. 

"The production is being put on especially in our honor." Azkadelia said, sliding the evening gloves up her arms.

"A production of Gillikinese Opera. And am I going to like it?"

Azkadelia shrugged. "I don't know. It can be fun, in a way. They use masks and flags and it's very colorful. Most people who don't appreciate it complain about the atonal melodies. But if you can accept music that sounds as if half the notes are missing, then you can learn to love it."

DG sighed. "I'm going to hate this, aren't I?"

Az smiled at her chagrin. "Probably. But you have to go. We're the guests of honor, and it's the story of Dorothy Gale. It would be a horrible insult to skip it."

DG pulled on her gloves. "Mother and Father don't have to go," she grumbled, but then there was a knock on the door.

It opened to reveal Ambrose, who smiled broadly at them both. "Ah, ladies! You both look absolutely lovely." Azkadelia blushed at his praise. DG eyed her sister, wondering when this secret whatever it was would finally be out in the open.

"Are you going with us?" DG asked.

"Alas, no. Although, I seem to remember liking Gillikinese Opera a great deal. At any rate, I have some things to work on here. I just stopped in because Johnson asked me to pass on that the car has arrived, and they're ready whenever Your Highnesses are prepared to leave."

* * *

Cain finally gave up pacing and took to shredding bits of hay. The rain wasn't letting up. At this rate, even if the rains did stop, it would be too dark to ride on. He'd have to wait until sunrise.

He gritted his teeth in frustration. Every instinct in him screamed that something was about to happen.

* * *

DG normally enjoyed the motor vehicles of the Outer Zone. They didn't run on gasoline, but on these really magnificent little steam engines, and she thought, if she could only get the technology over to the Other Side, there would be some serious changes. She still longed to get her hands on the O.Z. version of a motorcycle, but she hadn't thought of an excuse yet.

But the Other Side wasn't her problem anymore. Now she was Princess Dorothigale of the First House of Gale, and she had a whole different array of problems. The immediate one facing her this moment was how to get into the sleek, black, apparently vintage to her point of view, royal limousine without either snagging her dress or falling on her face. She took hold of her skirts and eyed the open car door.

At that moment, Johnson became her new best friend. "Allow me, your Highness," he said smoothly, and held her elbow to balance her while she wrangled the dress.

Finally seated inside, she sighed in relief. Though immediately, she realized if she'd ruined her dress, she could have begged off attending the opera.

Johnson also assisted Azkadelia, who thanked him prettily. The princesses were seated in the forward facing seats. Then Johnson and Bullit sat opposite them, right by the vehicle's doors.

"Alright, let's go," Johnson called to the driver, knocking on the glass that separated the driver from the seating area to let him know they were all ready. The car pulled smoothly out of the Royal enclosure, which was covered from the rain, and into the deluge of the uncovered streets.

DG watched the passing scenery out the window. Anyone who had to be outside wore long coats, with hats and umbrellas, or cloaks with deep hoods. Every day, the rains came down hard, sheeting, cold rains. In the north, she was told, it snowed heavily. The rains would only last for another few weeks. Then the Outer Zone would only get intermittent light rains throughout the rest of the year. Or rather, annual, she reminded herself.

They pulled up to the theatre, and DG was surprised to see the number of people waiting on the streets. A veritable throng awaited the arrival of the Princesses. The event had apparently been well publicized. The car slowed and came to a stop. Everyone on the street turned to the car, and started waving and cheering expectantly.

Johnson frowned, and he and Bullit exchanged a look. "Not secure at all," Johnson grumbled.

"There's a rear entrance. It'll be through the backstage area, but that's better than out in the open with that crowd," Bullit suggested.

"Good call," Johnson agreed. Knocking on the glass again, he ordered. "Around back. Rear theatre door." Obedient, the driver pulled the car away from the front of the theatre, leaving the disappointed cries of the crowd behind.

Up the street, and the car made its first right around the block. DG wasn't paying much attention, until both Johnson and Bullit started muttering. The driver apparently missed the second right down the alley behind the theatre.

"Hey!" Johnson knocked on the glass. "You missed it!"

Continuing down the side street, the car made a smooth left into a much less respectable looking alleyway and area. Then, in a spot with poor lighting, it came to a stop.

DG grabbed Az's hand. The princesses exchanged looks, both pale and worried now.

They felt the door to the driver seat open. Bullit, on the driver's side, made an angry grunt, and flung open his door. Almost immediately, he was yanked out of the car!

Johnson went for his guns, but before he could draw, a hand holding a D-gun appeared in the doorway, and shot Johnson in the head.

DG and Azkadelia screamed as blood, brains, and skull fragments sprayed them. Johnson's body slumped forward. The other door was yanked open as they heard additional shots. Rough hands reached into the car, dragging the princesses apart and out into the pouring rain.

"AZ!" DG shrieked, kicking and flailing and trying to make life as hard as possible for their assailants. Then someone punched her hard across the face, knocking her to the pavement. Her teeth snapped together, and her vision blurred. Looking up, she saw a face she'd hoped she never see again.

Zero.

He sneered at her, then turned away. Other hands pulled her up again, and through her tears she could see men holding Azkadelia as well. Zero walked over to Azkadelia, stepping nonchalantly over the body of Bullit. Reaching out, he ran his fingers down the side of Azkadelia's face.

"You presume?" Azkadelia snarled, her voice the coldest DG had heard it since her sister managed to tear herself away from the Witch's possession. Immediately, DG understood Az's approach. This man had been her underling, no matter how insane he might be now. If Az could convince him that she still had control, there was hope. DG could feel Az's fear, like a tingling in her nerve endings, but the elder sister was hanging in there.

"Sorceress," Zero greeted her. "I'll presume. And you'll thank me for it, just as soon as we get rid of whatever spell this other-sider bitch has put on you." He stepped closer, looming over her in a way that was obviously suggestive and completely threatening. "You're going to be very, very grateful, I think," Zero said, trailing his fingers along Azkadelia's throat.

The elder Princess kept her chin high, her eyes fixed on his, full of the darkest hatred.

Undeterred by her expression, Zero ordered her captors, "Put her in the car." Only then did DG notice the two other vehicles in the alley, one a large black car, the other a black van.

"Az! AZ!" DG shouted as the men pulled her sister away. But even then she knew Az couldn't give away her position. DG struck out instinctively with her magic, managing to toss the man on her left away suddenly. Turning, she slapped her palm against the man on the right, shoving with more than just physical strength. He staggered back, but then another man punched DG hard in the kidney from behind. She cried out, falling forwards. The man she'd just shoved kicked her when she hit the ground.

"Enough!" ordered Zero. "We need her alive, you idiots! Tie her up, throw her in the van." He paused, then added, "Give her a face full of vapors. That ought to keep her quiet."

DG still struggled weakly as Zero got into the car with her sister and it drove away. The men handling her tied her arms behind her, tied her feet together. They put a gag around her mouth as soon as she started screaming at the top of her lungs, hoping someone would hear. But of course, they'd chosen the site of the assault well, and no one came to investigate.

Tossing her into the windowless back of the van like a sack of potatoes, one man twisted the knob on a vapor canister and sprayed it right in her face. DG couldn't help but to inhale the delirium-inducing gases. She felt her head get woozy, and suddenly her whole body felt like it was spinning and spinning.

Trying to muster some control, she reached for her magic, but it slipped through her fingers like water. With the last shreds of power and consciousness she could find, she projected a mental cry as loudly as she could.

_CAIN!_

* * *

In a barn halfway to Central City, Cain sat straight up from where he'd been dozing on some hay bales. 

"I'm coming, kid," he yelled, and ran for his horse.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

7

Looking back on that ride, Cain would realize that he survived by Sheer Blind Luck. Galloping at breakneck speed, in the rain, in the dark, with no lantern or light of any type, through forest trails and the fields of the Pappay, he should not have made it.

Even when the rains let up just before dawn, when he finally reached the pass leading down into the valley where Central City was situated, he still had a horse close to foundering, slick half-cobblestone roads, and his own exhaustion.

Yet somehow, whatever Luck he did have held up. When he finally reached the gates of the City, he was stopped by a company of Royal Army soldiers. The City was locked down tight.

"Hold it, pal!" The lead soldier held up a commanding hand. "State your business in the City."

"Wyatt Cain, Tin Man," Cain identified himself. He ground his teeth, and said, "It's already happened, hasn't it? Damn it!" He wheeled his horse, glaring up at the skyscrapers of the city.

"How do you know?" demanded the soldier, a captain.

Another soldier interrupted. "Cain. That's the Colonel's name."

The captain peered up at Cain. "You're Jeb Cain's old man?"

"Jeb is my son, yes."

"Let 'im pass! Move it, there, you lazy sacks of shit! Make way!" The captain waved Cain through the barricades.

Kicking his poor mount into a struggling canter, Cain steered the animal through the streets of Central City. Horses were rare within the City, and he hated to think of the picture he made, riding down the center of the streets. Damned foolish, no doubt, but he didn't have time for niceties.

At the Royal Palace, he let the horse bash right through the line of guards. Shouts and running feet filled the air as soldiers soon surrounded him. He ignored the many guns, his only goal to get inside and speak with Glitch. Coolly tossing the reins to a surprised young officer, Cain turned on his heel. He didn't care if he had to fight his way into the palace.

Fortunately, before it came to that, a voice roared out to let him pass. Looking up the steps into the main Palace, Cain saw Raw bounding towards him.

"Cain!" the Viewer roared, grabbing his arm.

"Sir Raw!" a few soldiers tried to protest, but the Viewer's fierce growls kept them from interfering. Raw bodily pulled Cain into the palace.

"What happened, Raw? Tell me everything." Cain ordered as they took the steps two at a time.

"DG and sister are gone. They went out, never came back."

"Where did they go? Do you know who took them?"

Raw shook his head. His command of the common language wasn't strong enough to explain everything swiftly. He pulled Cain into a lift and punched the buttons to take them high in the skyscraper, to the floors reserved for the Royalty.

The doors to the lift opened, and Raw wasted no time hustling Cain down the hall.

"How did you know to come meet me?" Cain asked.

Raw rolled his eyes. "I felt you reach the City. Felt your worry."

Cain could only raise his brows in surprise.

* * *

A sudden violent jolt tossed DG across the back of the truck and into the side, which woke her. Feeling woozy, she groaned, trying to remember what was going on. Peering around the dark interior of the suddenly unmoving van, she soon remembered. _Right. Van. Kidnapping. Oh my god, Johnson! Oh, Johnson._ She tried not to gag at the memory, but behind her tightly closed eyes, she could see, in slow motion, how his head had…. had…. 

The only thing worse than the memory itself was the realization that if she did start to throw up, she still had a gag tied around her mouth.

Just then, the door to the rear of the van was flung open. Squinting into the light, DG saw two men, both in beaten up, worn Long Coats, both looking less than respectable. One, the older one, was balding. The younger looked like he had a sneer permanently affixed to his face.

"Hello Princess," Sneer drawled. Baldy elbowed him.

"Just get the tool box," he ordered. Sneer clambered into the van. He smirked widely at DG, and then reached for her.

Just before he could lay hands on her, DG kicked out with her tied-together feet. His yowl of pain and the way he fell sideways was very satisfying. Unfortunately, he recovered quickly. First, he backhanded her viciously, then he hauled her about, tossing her to the other side of the truck. The toolbox had been behind her. DG could feel blood trickling from her nose.

Baldy just shook his head at Sneer. "Idiot. Come on, let's get this thing fixed."

Luckily for DG, they left the door open, obviously confident she couldn't get away. Of course, with the gag and her legs tied together and her arms tied behind her back, she was trussed up like a sausage and really couldn't escape. But she craned her neck, trying to see where they were.

Just at the very limits of her scope of view, she caught a wonderful sight in the pale morning light. Azkadelia's Tower. With that point of reference, she could figure out where they were. She'd been taken west out of Central City, and they were passing just south of the Tower.

Unable to take any action to affect her escape, DG tried the next best thing. Remembering recent lessons from Tutor, she closed her eyes, and with her magic, reached out along the connection she'd built with her sister.

_Az?_ she called mentally. _Az?_ The spell was called a Sending. People with magic who were closely connected should be able to communicate this way, Tutor had said. But until now, DG and Azkadelia had only tried it from opposite sides of the Library.

_Az?_

_DG? Oh DG, where are you?_

_I'm still in the van. It's broken down, we're behind you, I think. I can just see your Tower from here._

_DG, I'm so scared. Zero is taking us to the Dark Altar!_

_What's that?_

_It's where our Ancestor Dorothy Gale defeated the Wicked Witch of the West. It's a fortress in the Western Mountains._

_I thought we did that?_

_Different Witch. Zero has gone mad, he believes you're holding me in some sort of spell, and if he… if he murders you on the Dark Altar in the Witch's Fortress, I'll be free AND I'll have the Wicked Witch's power as well. He keeps…DG, he keeps stroking my hair and my face and telling me how he's devoted to me and he'll make sure I'm free to rule…_

_Oh god, I wish Cain HAD killed that son of a bitch!_

_DG, what are we going to do? I tried, but I can't seem to do any offensive magic. He keeps a Vaporizer going near me all the time, my head hurts..._

_I know, sis, just keep calm. I have an idea._

_DG what are you going to do?_

_I'm going to try Sending to Cain. _

_He doesn't have any magic, he won't get it._

_Oh yes he will. I know he will, Az._

_But you don't know where he is, he could be too far away._

_He's not. I can tell. He's coming for me, coming for us, Az. Don't worry._

DG let the connection with Azkadelia go, the LongCoats were returning. Baldy merely tossed the toolbox into the back, while DG glared her fiercest at Sneer. Sneer looked at her, then licked his lips.

"You think a princess is any better than a whore?" he asked Baldy.

This time, Baldy cuffed him upside the head. "Shaddup you moron! Zero wants her alive, and if she ain't popped, all the better." Pushing Sneer out of the way, Baldy slammed the doors shut. DG heard them climb back in the front and start the van up.

She had to think fast. The message had to be short, because she had to push all her power just to get it to Cain. She hoped, if he didn't know what she meant, he would find out in time to come and save them.

Concentrating, she let memories of Cain fill her mind. She remembered his eyes, bright pale blue like laser beams, and the shape of his face, with his wide mouth and strong jaw. She remembered his scent, masculine musk and old leather. She focused on how he made her feel safe, how his support held her up when she was scared. She concentrated until thoughts of Cain filled her head, letting her magic build and swirl inside.

With a solid push of her power, she Sent four words.

_CAIN! WEST! DARK ALTAR!_

* * *

When Cain entered the room, all heads turned towards him. Ahamo stood, muttering "Thank god." The Queen gave a wordless cry of relief. Guermo and several other guards, plus Tutor, nodded their greetings equably, as if they'd expected him to appear all along. Glitch bounded over immediately to grip Cain's arm, and Jeb immediately spun the map of Central City around so Cain could see it. Several other officers and what appeared to be noble warriors were in the room, including two nearly identical men wearing dark fur pelts as cloaks. 

"'Bout time you got here," Jeb said as Cain joined him at the table in the middle of the room.

Cain eyed his son's uniform. "Colonel?"

"Here's what we have so far," Guermo started, getting right into briefing Cain. "Yesterday evening, the Princesses were scheduled to attend opening night of a new Opera. They left in a car with their bodyguards." He paused, glancing at Cain. "Apparently, the driver was not one of ours. Or at least, not loyal. Witnesses at the front of the theatre say the limousine pulled up, paused, and then moved on, turning right at the next side street."

"If it was a big crowd," Cain replied, "Johnson would have changed the arrival point to a rear entrance."

"We think that was what happened."

Cain turned to an officer, issuing orders. "Shake down everyone on the theatre staff. They organized the publicity? Did they include the information that the Princesses were attending? Find out if the publicity was designed to pull a crowd, to force the detail into changing to the rear entrance." The Queen gasped a little. If Cain was right, then the resistance to the restored order was far more widespread than any would have anticipated.

Guermo continued, pointing at the map, "The limousine was discovered this morning, here. Bullit's body was beside the car, Johnson's inside."

"They blew his damned head off," Jeb muttered from Cain's shoulder. Cain's fists tightened where they rested on the table. Johnson had been a good man, a solid Tin Man, but Cain had no time to think about dead men now.

"When did you realize the Princesses were gone?"

"Last night," Glitch answered. His voice was solemn and even. Cain realized this was now Ambrose, the Queen's premier advisor. "We started to get concerned when the normal time they'd return came and passed with no sign of them. We realized it for certain when a messenger arrived from the theatre, bearing the company's note expressing their respects and regrets that the princesses had… 'felt too unwell to attend' that evening."

Cain winced. "So they had, what, a four hour head start at that point?"

"We immediately closed the City," Jeb picked up the tale. "The military has been handling block by block searches."

"No messages, no contact, no ransom requests?"

"None," Ahamo answered.

Cain shook his head. "Call off the searches, they're not in the City anymore." He stared at the map, trying to order all the information he had in his head.

"What do you know?" Glitch asked.

Cain grimaced. "About four days ago, I heard something in the realm. It was a mutter of 'plan', 'princesses'..." he hesitated, then admitted. "And 'Zero'."

"Zero!" Jeb exclaimed.

Cain turned to him. "You were right, son. We should have just killed him. I went out to the old camp, at least three people had come recently, and let Zero out of the tin can." Turning back to the Royal couple, he knew he had to confess his mistake. "I probably should have ridden here right then, but instead I went back to the realm, to see if I could pick up the trail of the conspirators. I couldn't track down enough information, until yesterday afternoon I got word that they'd already moved out."

The Queen, her expression tight but not condemning, looked at him. "You've ridden all night?"

"Yes ma'am." In an extraordinarily demonstrative move for him, Cain went around the table and knelt before the Queen. "I'll get you your daughters back, Your Majesty, I swear it." That he'd give his life to do so went unsaid. It wasn't necessary. Wyatt Cain was a Tin Man. He'd do what had to be done.

The Queen nodded with tears in her eyes. "See that you do, Sir Wyatt," she ordered.

Cain bowed shortly then returned to the table and the maps. "Leave off the city searches," he said. "Get the troops organized. We need to estimate how far they could have gotten. Assume they have vehicles, not horses, calculate an outer perimeter with the City at the center point. I want to send troops out to the farthest points as fast as we can, and let them work inwards from there."

Glitch started jotting numbers on a slip of paper. "With the rains and road conditions last night, we're talking a radius of about thirty spans. And it's expanding every clear minute of weather."

"Right," Cain agreed.

"That's half the Zone!" protested Guermo.

Cain turned to snap at the former LongCoat, when suddenly a pain unlike anything he'd ever experienced lanced through his skull. His knees gave way and he fell, hitting the floor hard. He couldn't hear the exclamations of surprise around him, his ears ringing from the message that just forced its way through his head.

_CAIN! WEST! DARK ALTAR!_

"Father?" Jeb grabbed his father's shoulders.

"DG!" Cain groaned, clutching his head. Both the Queen and Tutor hurried to his side.

Tutor peered into Cain's face. "She did a Sending!"

"To Mr. Cain?" The Queen asked, amazed.

Cain groaned again, trying to get the pulsing feeling in his head to cease. "West. Dark Altar."

Everyone gasped.

"I don't even want to know what that lunatic is thinking!" snarled Glitch. He reached for Cain, pulling the Tin Man to his feet. "Raw! You're with me and Cain. The rest of you, get moving, get the troops into vehicles and headed west to the old Western Fortress." Clearly, the old Ambrose knew how to manage security issues. He supported Cain while the Tin Man shook off the pain of DG's magic. "I've got something that'll get us there in a hurry," he told Cain.

The three loyal friends headed out of the room.

"Wait!" someone called.

Turning, Cain saw the two identical young men following them. He realized they were Seal Folk. Cain remembered they had a basically warrior culture. They were probably carrying a number of concealed weapons.

"We would come with you," the one with the goatee said.

"I've only got room for one more," Glitch replied. "Who's it going to be?"

The two Seals exchanged a look, and then the one with only a moustache stepped forward. "I will go. My brother will follow with the rest."

"Let's go," Cain growled.

In the lift down, the Seal turned to Cain. "I am Conor. I lifted you from below the ice. I am most pleased to see you." His cheerful grin was disturbing to Cain, considering the dark events they were caught up in. He looked positively delighted to be rushing into danger.

Cain eyed him a moment, then answered evenly, "Obliged for the help."

In the huge street level enclosure, Glitch led them to a particular vehicle. "I've enhanced it. Just finished yesterday and a good thing too."

"Is it fast?" Cain asked.

Glitch smirked. "Fastest vehicle yet. Stripped down for less weight, angled for streamlining." He indicated they should get in. Cain took the seat beside the driver, while Raw and Conor got in the back. "Strap yourselves in," Glitch warned. He started it up, and the engine roared with power. The three passengers were pressed into their seats as Glitch accelerated out of the enclosure. The movements of troops and vehicles swirled in their wake.

They reached the outer wall of the City in moments, and then Glitch really turned up the speed. They fairly flew down the road, seemingly spending more time in the air from the sudden bounces than on the actual ground. Cain set his jaw and stoically refused to let himself close his eyes. The countryside blurred as they passed. Risking a glance behind him, he saw that Raw did close his eyes, clinging to any handhold he could.

But Conor was leaning forward against his seat restraints, his hands clutching the backs of Glitch's and Cain's seats, his eyes and grin wide with delight.

"Can it go faster?" he hollered to Glitch.

* * *

_Martial arts training,_ DG told herself furiously as Sneer and Baldy manhandled her into the ugliest squat, square, grey fortress DG had ever seen. _I'll get Glitch to teach me martial arts, and Cain will show me how to shoot a gun, and I'll carry one always. Because this is fucking ridiculous._

Grey storm clouds were forming over the mountaintops rising behind the fortress. The daily rains were going to start with a bang. But DG wouldn't get to admire it as the LongCoats literally dragged her through the forbidding gates. DG squirmed and struggled, ineffectually since she was still trussed up like a turkey.

_Alright, I'm sick of this Lois Lane shit. Time to turn into Ripley, _she decided. Faking despair, she slumped, forcing the LongCoats to carry her entirely.

After descending many stairs, they brought her to a large hall. She looked around, hanging an expression of wide-eyed fear on her face. She could only see a few more LongCoats, maybe ten in total. Apparently Zero did not have quite the support DG had feared. This must be a random attempt.

She spotted the low wide Dark Altar, a slab of some unknown stone, set almost centrally in the chamber. Behind it appeared to be a pit. That made DG nervous. They were deep underground now, and of course the pit emitted a sickly yellow glow, and the air held a sulfurous smell. She really really hoped her murder didn't involve a close up examination of what ever passed for the O.Z.'s lava.

"Excellent!" Zero's voice was sickly exuberant, like a demented child seeing he now had the complete set of his favorite toys. DG saw him come into the room, two more LongCoats escorting a dazed Azkadelia. The elder sister wasn't nearly as filthy or bruised as DG, but her eyes were bloodshot and empty. DG could feel her confusion, brought on by several hours of Vapors, and her fear.

DG longed to Send to Az, but didn't dare. If she was going to have a shot at saving them, she needed to hoard her power.

Zero seemed to fuss at the men holding Azkadelia, making sure they positioned themselves and her according to his sick requirements. He seemed to be both disgustingly obsequious to Az, and at the same time, threateningly familiar. His behavior made DG think of serial rapist killers. The man had obviously cracked, badly. And as dangerous as he'd been as the Sorceress's lead henchman, he'd become ten times more dangerous since being locked in the tin suit.

Turning to her, Zero smiled evilly, and DG involuntarily shuddered at the look in his eyes.

"Hello, girl. Hello, light, hello, Othersider bitch." He came closer, and DG realized she'd never quite understood the expression 'unholy glee' until this moment. Even the other LongCoats looked nervous around Zero. He reached out, taking her chin between his thumb and fingers, pinching hard enough to bruise. He turned her face this way and that, examining her. "You certainly don't look like someone who could imprison the Sorceress. Well, however you did it, it's going to be broken soon."

Stepping away, he ordered, "Tie her to the Altar."

TBC

_A/N I thought I was going to get all the excitement into one chapter, but that didn't happen. For the first time in a long time, I'm having a lot of fun writing climactic action-y stuff. _

_Words so far: 25,637_

_Pages: 68_


	8. Chapter 8

8

"And take the gag out. I want to hear her beg for her life," Zero added as he waved the LongCoats towards the Altar.

The moment her mouth was free, DG screamed, "You rotten son of a bitch! You're never going to get away with this!" She twisted, trying to fight again, as the LongCoats brought her to the Altar. "I'll kill you! And if I don't, Azkadelia will! And if she doesn't," DG spit at Zero. "Wyatt Cain _definitely _will!"

"Cain? Cain?" Zero laughed. "I'd forgotten all about Cain." The manic hatred in his eyes belied his statement. "Well, your precious Tin Man hasn't managed it yet, has he? He hasn't got the guts to kill me." He suddenly leaned over, putting his mouth so close to her ear, she could feel his breath. It made her shudder uncontrollably. "I'm going to enjoy torturing that tin-plated bastard to death, once the Sorceress is free." Turning away and ignoring DG's curses, he directed his men in their proper placements.

Sneer and Baldy had already cut the ropes on her legs, but then they cut the ropes on DG's arms, and her shoulders ached terribly. Still, she mustered her strength, flinging her arms wide. A lucky strike got Baldy across the throat, like a clothesline. Sneer grabbed her, but DG focused her magic and punched him in the jaw. She felt her knuckles crack, but the addition of magic gave the blow enough force to knock him backwards.

DG turned to run to Az, but Baldy kicked out a foot and tripped her. Azkadelia lunged unsteadily towards DG, but the prolonged exposure to vapors made her too slow, too clumsy, and the pair of LongCoats guarding her easily restrained her. DG snarled at Baldy and Sneer from where she'd fallen to the floor, kicking with her feet, clawing with her nails, but by that point, other LongCoats had come forward to help subdue her, and she was soon trussed up again, lying flat on her back on the Dark Altar.

_At least I'm not spread-eagle. That would just be too much,_ she thought, disgusted with her inability to get free. Her feet were tied together at the ankles, her arms crossed over her chest and tied down. She craned her head towards Az, who was slumped between her captors, tears streaming down her face.

"DG," whimpered Azkadelia.

_Stay tough, sister!_ DG Sent to Az. _Help is coming, I know it, I just know it!_

* * *

If there were a land speed record in the Outer Zone, Ambrose's newly modified vehicle would have broken it. They reached the Dark Fortress just as the skies opened up for the daily rain, the clouds rolling overhead with flashes of lighting and great peals of thunder.

Cain couldn't believe that there were no lookouts. He fully expected they'd have to fight their way into the Fortress, but instead, the only things outside were a car and two vans.

"Inside," he ordered curtly. He checked and loaded his pistol once they were under cover. He passed an eye over his companions. They all nodded quietly, each ready to do what was necessary.

The four rescuers made their way through the fortress. Cain held up a hand at the top of a stairwell leading down. He spotted tracks in the dust, and motioned for the rest to follow him.

When they reached the bottom, they could all see light glowing from the double doors to a large hall ahead. Taking positions in the shadows, Cain pulled Raw closer.

"How many?" he whispered to the Viewer.

Raw closed his eyes, reaching out with his senses, both physical and mystical. "DG is angry and afraid. Az is very afraid. Zero–" The Viewer shuddered. "Mad, insane. The rest, nervous. Worried. Eleven others."

"A round dozen," muttered Glitch. He laid himself out on the floor, looking through the doors to see where the enemy was located. They could all hear DG snarling and cursing, the movement of LongCoats. Only a few torches lit the room, besides some source of a glow far in the back.

"What have you got?" Cain whispered to Conor. The Seal man reached behind his back, producing two wickedly sharp long fighting knives from sheathes evidently concealed under his pelt.

"Four throwers too," Conor whispered back.

Cain glanced down at Glitch, but he knew the former zipperhead didn't carry any weapons. However, Glitch could move utterly silently if he chose too, and Cain knew that in hand to hand, even he probably couldn't take down the Advisor. He glanced at the healing scar tissue on Glitch's scalp, then muttered, "Hope they didn't mess up your rhythm."

Glitch rolled over silently and grinned up at the Tin Man wryly. "Better than ever, actually. And I have an idea." As quietly as possible, Glitch outlined a plan.

* * *

Once DG was on the Altar, Zero made all the LongCoats retake their positions. He stood over her, a serrated knife in his hand. DG did not want to know what he was going to do with it. She was pretty sure he wasn't going to give her hair a trim. Behind Zero, slightly to the right, the two LongCoats guarding Azkadelia held her steady. The pit was right behind them, and the flickering glow sent weird and ominous shadows dancing around the edges of the room. Sneer and Baldy stood just below the Altar, and DG knew a few more LongCoats were positioned nearby.

Her eyes grew wide as Zero suddenly raised the knife, preparing to plunge it into DG's body. He was aiming for her stomach, DG realized. This was going to be a very long and painful death.

"Wait!" cried Azkadelia suddenly. She stood on her own feet, if wavering slightly. All eyes turned to her.

"What?" snapped Zero.

"There's an incantation!" Az declared. "The … the sacrifice. There is an incantation that must be said."

_What are you doing??_ DG yelled mentally at Az.

_Buying time!_ Az silently replied. Out loud, she continued, "To break the seal on the Wicked Witch of the West's power by sacrifice, you have to speak the incantation before shedding the blood."

"Well, what is it, Sorceress?" Zero demanded.

"I don't know of the top of my head," Azkadelia said at her most haughty. "Do you think I needed it before now, you fool?" Only DG could feel the nervous shudder in Az's voice, the slight desperation of the lies. "There was a tome, in the Tower. The information is in there. You must send someone to fetch it."

"We don't have time to go back for it. You're just going to have to improvise," Zero ordered, then turned back to DG. Az's eyes grew wide. Zero raised the knife again.

A shot rang out, striking the knife. It jerked out of Zero's hands and went flying. DG heard twin roars. At the same moment, two hands appeared out of the darkness behind Azkadelia, grabbing the head of one LongCoat and twisting sharply, breaking his neck. Azkadelia instinctively ducked as the other LongCoat was punched backwards with enough force that he staggered back into the pit, falling with a scream.

Two more shots rang out, but Zero had ducked behind the altar. DG craned her neck, shrieking "CAIN!" at the top of her lungs. She saw LongCoats moving, heard Raw's roar. DG felt a vibration start, through the stones of the Altar. The light of the pit began to flicker rapidly, as if connected to the vibrations.

She jerked as a hand suddenly grabbed at her, but it was Glitch, who used a small knife to saw at her bonds.

"Zero!" DG gasped, worried about where that bastard had gone.

Glitch glanced up, his jaw clenched. Then he started sawing faster.

DG heard the reports of dart-guns firing. As she felt the last strand of rope part, she sat up as fast as she could.

* * *

Glitch's plan was sound. Sneak in, stick to the shadows. He'd go for the princesses, sure he could get close. Cain and the rest would have to take care of the others. Conor's grin as he spun his knives was positively gleeful. Cain suspected the Seal man would fling himself indiscrimately into the battle. Still, if he fell, better Conor than DG in Cain's grim opinion.

Glitch disappeared into the darkness silently. He'd left the uniform coat and white shirt behind, wearing only dark pants and dark undershirt. He was careful to keep his hands and face hidden, so no pale skin reflected any torchlight.

Cain and the rest counted silently to themselves, giving Glitch time to get into position before they made their move. They all heard Azkadelia speak, cleverly trying to forestall the murder of her sister. Cain mentally gave the elder princess some points. She could spin a lie with the best of them, when need be. Unfortunately, her ploy didn't work as well as she'd hoped, because Cain heard Zero blow off her words and raise the knife again.

Hoping Glitch had made it far enough, Cain raised his gun and fired at the knife. Then all hell broke loose.

Both roaring, Raw and Conor charged into the room. Raw bodily tackled the first LongCoat, landing on the man. The man's head hit the floor with a wet crunch. Conor's knives scissored across the neck of his first victim, the Seal man spinning away to take on his second opponent without pausing. Cain took another shot at Zero, but the man ducked. Cursing, Cain turned the gun on a LongCoat about to shoot Raw. The shot caught the man in the shoulder, spinning him away from the Viewer, the shot meant to kill the Viewer going wide. A glittering knife flew across the room to embed itself in the throat of a younger LongCoat near the Altar who'd aimed at Cain. Cain punched another LongCoat trying to tackle him hard in the gut, bringing up his knee into the face of the man as he doubled over from the blow. Cain finished him off with a blow to the back of the skull with the butt of his pistol.

Then Cain caught sight of Zero, rising from the floor with a dartgun in his hand. Cain turned, trying to dodge, but pain tore through his body as Zero fired, the shot ripping through the flesh of his side. He fell, knees buckling from the pain and shock, and the back of his hand bounced off the stone floor, numbing his fingers, making him loose his grip on his gun. The pistol skittered away, just a few feet out of his reach.

Raw knocked out another LongCoat as Conor stabbed one. The Seal man flung his second knife, this one finding a home in the lung of a bald LongCoat about to shoot Ambrose where he crouched trying to cut DG free with another of Conor's throwing knives. The Viewer ran his claws across the face of a fortunately unarmed LongCoat, as Conor spun to check on Cain.

Zero stood over the Tin Man, the dartgun pointed right at his head. He grinned, more a fierce exposing of teeth across his face as his finger tightened on the trigger. Behind him, DG suddenly sat up, freed from the ropes that held her.

At that moment, four things happened simultaneously.

Zero pulled the trigger.

DG shrieked wordlessly, flinging out her hand and magic towards Zero.

Conor launched his last throwing knife as hard as he could at Zero.

Cain twisted himself to the side, hopelessly reaching for his gun.

DG's magic splashed light across the room. The deadly dart propelled by the gun miraculously froze in midair. Zero's face registered his surprise as he staggered, the force of Conor's knife striking his shoulder throwing him off balance. Cain completed his roll, coming up with his gun, quickly aiming, and firing two precise shots. Twin holes appeared in Zero's forehead.

The expression of surprise never left Zero's face as his body collapsed, dead before he hit the floor.

Cain let himself slump, lying with his back flat against the floor, eyes closed. The cold of the stones seemed to seep into him, coupled with a vibration he hadn't noticed before. He supposed, distantly, that he was cold because he was bleeding to death. He could hear voices from far away – Glitch, DG, Azkadelia.

Something warm pressed against his side, and he cracked open an eye. He dimly made out Raw's worried expression before he simply let go. He knew they'd saved DG. It was enough.

* * *

DG kicked the rope off her legs and threw herself off the altar. She meant to go to Cain's side, terrified that the Tin Man would die.

"DG!" Azkadelia latched on to her hand. DG tried to shake her off, but Az screamed at her. "The Witch! The witch is coming!"

Shocked, DG turned to look past Az towards the pit. The glow was brightening, the temperature in the room rising as the lava rose, its movement shaking the whole fortress.

"Blood spilt breaks the seal!" Az yelled. "We have to restore it!" She grabbed DG's other hand, pulling the younger sister into the spell. A dark miasma was rising up from the pit. Now that her attention was on it, DG could feel the formless evil. Unlike the ancient witch that had possessed Azkadelia, this power was directionless, mindlessly destructive. It would rise with the lava, spilling out through the fortress and into the land, reaching further and poisoning more than lava alone ever could.

The pure white light of the sisters' power, legacy of the Good Witches of the North, flowed out from their bodies. Az directed it, DG powered it. Their light overwhelmed the dark miasma, shredding it, forcing it back into the pit. The clear light cooled the lava, crusting it over, hardening the surface to black rock.

At last the vibrations and rumblings ceased. Azkadelia fainted, strained from holding the spell together under the influence of vapors, but Ambrose caught her. As soon as the spell was finished, DG dropped her sister's hand, staggering towards Cain. She almost fell, stumbling over a body, but Conor caught her and helped her to the Tin Man's side.

Raw had his hands against Cain's body, his eyes closed, his brow furrowed in concentration. Tired but desperate, DG put both her hands over Raw's, feeding into him what strength she had left, giving him her power to use as she had during Glitch's surgery. Tears of fear, exhaustion, and pain ran down her face, dripping off her chin to fall onto Cain's dark coat. She could feel Conor holding her, feel the pull of Raw's abilities on her power, but all she could see was Cain, lying terrifyingly still and pale and cold before her. DG's heart clenched in fear that she would loose him.

Finally, just when she was sure she would pass out, Raw pulled his hands and hers away from Cain's body. The Viewer's expression was grim when he opened his eyes. DG looked up at him, terrified at what he might say. But then Raw's expression lightened, and he reached out to cup her cheek.

"Cain is healed. Sleeps. You too."

Wordlessly, DG nodded, acquiescing to the order. Conor let her go as she settled next to her Tin Man, resting her head on his shoulder, wrapping an arm around him protectively.

TBC

_A/N: OOO! short but exciting, I hope. I spent a long time mentally choreographing this chapter, I hope it made sense. _

_I'm delighted that people like my original character, Conor of the Seal Clan. Conor is too, sends his greetings to all, and would like me to tell the lovely ladies who've sent positive comments about him that he is single. Sigh. Sometimes, these OCs take on a life of their own…_


	9. Chapter 9

9

When consciousness, or whatever it was, returned, Cain wasn't sure what to think at first. _Maybe I'm dead,_ he thought. After a few false starts, he managed to open his eyes. All he could see was a blank expanse, a featureless space lit only by a dim pale blue glow. This only served to confirm to him that he was in fact dead. But then, his sight sharpened, and other senses kicked in. He realized he was looking at a ceiling.

Slowly and carefully, he rolled his head to the right. _Yep, I'm dead. Because there's an angel next to me,_ he decided. Curled up into possibly the most uncomfortable position imaginable, DG slept in the chair beside the bed.

Cain now recognized that he lay in one of the infirmary rooms in Azkadelia's tower. DG's chair was pulled close to the bed. She rested her head on her arm along the back of the chair. Her face was mostly obscured by her thick hair. She had her knees pulled up, and her other arm rested across them so that her hand lay lightly on Cain's arm. The blue glow came from where her fingers rested against the skin of his arm.

A soft noise drew Cain's attention. The door opened, admitting Emily who bore a blanket. She smiled to see him awake, but said nothing. Gently, she placed the blanket over DG. Glancing at Cain, she paused, and then leaned close.

"Sleep more," she suggested softly.

Thinking it an excellent idea, Cain closed his eyes again.

* * *

When he woke again, the chair was occupied by Emily, not DG. She looked up from her knitting to meet his eyes.

"We sent her to her own bed. She was getting all cramped up in this chair," Emily explained immediately, without prompting. She set aside her work. "Do you think you can feed yourself?"

"Yes, ma'am," he said, voice rusty. "How long has it been?"

"Two days. Raw and the other healers said it was best to let you sleep. But now, you'll be wanting something to drink."

The instant she said it, Cain became aware of a raging thirst. Severe blood loss did that to a man. Emily helped him sit up, adding pillows to prop him, then handed him a cup of only slightly cool water, enough to quench his thirst but not shock his empty stomach. The nurture unit then set a tray over his lap. It held a bowl of some thick meaty soup, and a very soft piece of bread.

"Is DG alright?" he asked before digging in.

"She's fine. A little tired, mostly bruised and sore. They roughed her up some," Emily's voice dripped condemnation for the men who'd hurt her little girl. You could take the nurture unit out of the parenting role, but you couldn't take the parenting out of the nurture unit. "She's determined never to let anyone get the drop on her like that again. She's insisting that Mr. Ambrose give her lessons in that hand to hand fighting he does, and she says she wants a gun."

"What?" Cain was amazed. But with a moment's reflection, he realized he shouldn't be. DG was the most determined, feisty, stubborn woman he knew. He decided he'd enjoy teaching her how to handle a gun. "But she's not injured or hurt or anything?"

"No, she's not injured. We're all thankful for that. And for you."

Cain ducked his head. "My duty, ma'am. And it wasn't just me. It was Raw and Glitch and Conor as well."

"I know, and DG knows." Emily stood, collecting her knitting. "But it wasn't them she sat up with for two days," she continued pertly. Nodding at him, she said, "I'll be back in a bit to collect the tray." With that, she departed.

Cain managed to not only finish the food, but get up on his own. He poked a little at the healed flesh of his side. Raw's healing didn't even leave a scar. His side wasn't sore or tender. The Viewer's work was amazing. Any normal doctor would have simply stitched him up, causing him weeks of painful, slow healing. Cain made a mental note to thank Raw.

Cain found a spare shirt and pants folded up in a cabinet, along with his vest, coat, hat, and holster. He dressed, not wanting to think about how he got undressed in the first place, and who might have helped or seen, then went in search of DG.

* * *

"So, perhaps someday you will come to the coast, and swim with us? I promise you would be in no danger with my brother and I."

"I'll definitely think about it, Conor."

"And you must bring your Tin Man! He needs to relax, learn to enjoy life." Conor nodded, as if enjoyment was the answer to all problems. DG had learned that Seal men were a very outgoing and manic before they settled down with a bride. Neither Conor nor his brother was married.

Rising to indicate their meeting was done, so that Conor could begin his journey home to the coast, DG extended her hand to him. "Thank you again, so much," DG said earnestly.

Conor grinned and gave her the most flamboyant bow. "My duty and honor, Princess! I only ask that should you decide to have another adventure, please do send for me. I enjoyed this one immensely." He kissed her hand, his moustache tickling her. Then, with a jaunty wink, he departed.

DG smiled after him. Conor of the Seal Clan was a merry lunatic. She sat back down at the tea table, alone for the first time in many days. Sighing, she looked over the reports on the table. Of the eleven men that had followed Zero and participated in the plan to kidnap the two Princesses and murder DG, only five had survived. Of those, only two were deemed likely candidates for rehabilitation. Since they'd been on patrol in an area that saw a lot of Resistance activity during the Eclipse, they'd honestly believed that DG was controlling Azkadelia somehow. Their loyalties were to Princess Azkadelia, and once it was explained to them the nature of the Witch's possession, how it had been broken, and what that meant, they were contrite. Both would serve some time in Central City's prisons, and additional terms in such civic service as the Crown deemed fit until they would at last be released as free men. Neither had had direct contact with the princesses during the abduction.

The other three men were all on Guermo's original list of Undesirables. All had been in the Royal Army, all had dishonorable discharges before enlisting in the Witch's LongCoats. DG agreed with her mother's recommended sentencing. The Queen intended to have all three men shipped east to the mauritanium mines, to serve out life sentences of hard labor. Not one had the slightest hint of magical power, and so could be safely used in the mines. When sending criminal labor, the Crown had to be certain the condemned could not use the mauritanium mined for their own nefarious purposes.

The noise of a door to the balcony where she sat caused her to look up. Cain was standing there, fully dressed and staring at her. DG gasped a little. She'd only meant to have a small meal and speak with Conor before he left, then she'd intended to return to Cain's bedside. Seeing him standing there, DG was reminded of how long it had been since she'd seen him. And now close she came to loosing him forever.

She stood, and Cain walked towards her. Their gaze never wavered from one another. DG's chest felt like there was a weight on it. He moved as easily as ever, quietly and economically. She felt like she'd somehow forgotten how tall he was, how broad his shoulders were, how his eyes shined from beneath the brim of his hat. She wanted to fling herself at him, hug him until they were both breathless, but she was afraid that he might still be in pain from his wound, or that he wouldn't let her touch him, bringing back whatever it was that drove him away in the first place.

"I meant to come back to your room, in the infirmary, I mean," DG started to speak. "I just had a few things…"

"It's all right," Cain cut her off. "I came looking for you."

DG blushed, the rushing blood causing the skin of her bruised face to ache. "You did. You always do."

* * *

"Of course," Cain answered. "That's my job."

Cain stared at the bruises on DG's face. Her skin all across her left cheek and nose was purpled and yellowish, as well as her chin, and he could see a healing split on her lower lip. She'd been beaten pretty badly, he realized, and the force of the hatred for Zero that he suddenly felt was unsurpassed by any anger he'd ever held for the dead man before. Cain wished he could bring Zero back to life, just so he could kill the man a few more times, for daring to lay a hand on DG. But even the bruises did nothing to mar her beauty in his eyes.

If he hadn't been looking at her so closely, he might have missed the little flicker of expression that crossed her face at his answer. A flicker of dismay, disappointment.

"Are you feeling well?" DG asked him, schooling her expression. Her sudden poise was new to him. Obviously, it was the result of weeks of princess duties. Cain, in that moment, became worried that his leaving had destroyed any regard she might have had for him. He'd been so sure at the time that he was annoying her to death, sure that leaving was the way to preserve their friendship, but maybe he'd been wrong. Maybe this coolness was the result. He had no one to blame but himself if it was true. He'd gone off, never written, and never even explained why he thought he needed to leave. And now, the cool polite expression on her face cut him deeply. It was the expression of a princess inquiring after the health of a man who'd done his duty to the Crown by protecting her. It was not the face of DG wanting to know if Cain was alright. He missed DG desperately.

But at the same time, he knew she'd sat next to him, watched over him as he slept, and he couldn't forget the glow of her power touching him. It had been caring, comforting. He had to have hope, hope that maybe his DG wasn't completely gone. He knew his feelings could no longer be suppressed. He loved her desperately, but was certain she couldn't return his feelings. Yet if he could just stay close to her, somehow save enough of their friendship that she'd let him stay, he would have to be satisfied with that.

"I'm good," he told her. "Raw did an amazing job." He slapped his hand against his side to prove his fitness. "Not even sore."

"I'm glad," DG said. "I was … I was worried. You … you could have died there." Her voice hitched, and the schooled expression was lost as her worry and concern broke through.

Cain felt like his heart started to beat again.

"Mr. Cain," she said, suddenly using a Princess voice again, "That's the third time you've been shot defending me."

He couldn't help but let the corners of his mouth twitch in a little half-smile, feeling relief that she evidently still cared for him in some way. "Well, now, princess. It's actually only the second time I've been wounded. So that's not so bad." He was trying to tease her.

It worked. DG shook her head. Her smile crept out. "You've been locked up, bitten by a Pappay, jumped off a cliff into a raging river, chased by LongCoats, had to flee Central City, got shot out a window, nearly drowned, nearly froze." Her wide blue eyes had him pinned in his place. "Crossed the entire Outer Zone, been captured, invaded the enemy's stronghold, gotten shot again. You disappeared for weeks without sending any word, and then charged across the Zone again under the most dangerous conditions, only to appear and rescue me in the nick of time." DG shook her head. "I'm afraid, Mr. Cain, you're just going to have to marry me."

"I – What?!" Cain was flabbergasted. He could not have heard what he just heard.

"You heard me. Obviously, someone has to keep an eye on you, and I love you, Wyatt. So it's only reasonable that you marry me, so you'll have to stay close, and I can keep an eye on you myself. I'm the only one I trust with the job. Oh, you can protest, but I'm the Princess, and you'll find that I'm quite su–"

Cain took two long steps forward, grabbed DG's shoulders and covered her mouth with his in a fierce, passionate kiss.

It definitely shut her up. He'd stopped listening after four particular words anyway.

* * *

DG struggled to keep her knees intact as Cain made a thorough mapping of her lips. She even forgot that they were sore where one of the punches she'd taken had split one. Her hands crept up his chest to cling to the lapels of his coat.

When he finally let her breath, it took DG several seconds before she could think again. At last, she was able to say, "So, is that a yes?"

He kissed her again.

Then he murmured to her, "You know, I'm supposed to be the one doing the proposing." His breath caressed her face, then he carefully kissed his way across her good cheek to nibble on her earlobe.

Her voice stuck in her throat, but she managed to groan out, "Well, you certainly weren't getting around to it!" She couldn't stop the moan when he kissed his way down the side of her neck. "We can tell everyone that you asked, and I said yes, if you'd prefer it."

He stopped what he was doing, much to her disappointment, to smile broadly at her. "Why don't we tell people we mutually agreed?"

"You haven't said yes yet," she pointed out cheekily.

He kissed her lips again, his tongue darting out to open her mouth. DG moaned again as his tongue thrust into her mouth, teasing and caressing her own. She couldn't keep her knees from buckling this time, but he quickly gathered her close, his arms warm and strong around her waist. She wrapped her arms around his neck, letting him support her, and he practically lifted her off the ground, molding her body against his, and she felt a purely feminine thrill at how strong he was.

Finally setting her down, running one hand up her back to tangle in her hair, he leaned his forehead against hers.

"Say it again," he ordered.

"Will you –"

"The other part," he interrupted, chuckling a little at her humor.

Smiling warmly, DG said, "I love you, Wyatt." The strength of her feelings for him turned his name into a caress.

He briefly closed his eyes, as if savoring the moment. Then he opened them, meeting hers. "Yes," he said, his voice thick. "I love you too, DG."

She laughed out of pure joy, hugging him.

END

_A/N: Thanks so much for coming along for the ride. I LOVED this series, and keep hoping that the rumors of an actually regular weekly series are true. The creators admitted they put a little tension between DG and Cain deliberately. All I can say is – Lucky Zooey! Ha ha ha! At any rate, hope you enjoyed (what)Ever After. Please feel free to review, and I hope you'll take the time to read some of my other fics. Cheers, CK._


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